Queensland has recorded three new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and will extend a face mask mandate for another week.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the three cases include a 12-year-old boy who flew into the state from Sydney on July 9, and his father.
A fully vaccinated airport worker has also tested positive, which is a major concern for authorities.
Ms Palaszczuk says COVID-19 restrictions in line to be eased in 11 local government areas in the state’s southeast on Friday will remain in place for another week.
“We won’t be able to ease our restrictions in the Greater Brisbane area and I know people will be disappointed by that, I am disappointed by that … but what we are seeing is that these outbreaks are happening across the country,” she said.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the boy had travelled to the US and arrived back in Australia via Sydney Airport on June 21 with his mother.
He then flew with his mother to Brisbane on Qantas flight 544 on Friday and is believed to have given his father the virus after arriving home.
The mother has tested negative so far but is now in hospital with her son, who tested positive on Wednesday.
Dr Young said the airport worker is a woman who had been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer jab and lives in Tarragindi in Brisbane’s south.
The worker had worked at the airport for three days while infectious.
“So, because we have now got these three new community cases and I suspect I’ll get confirmation later today … they are unrelated to all of our other cases, these are new outbreaks,” Dr Young said.
Ms Palaszczuk also urged Queenslanders in Victoria and NSW to consider returning home due to outbreaks in those states.
The premier said people planning trips to the southern states should reconsider their need to travel at all.
“I cannot be clearer. We are seeing these little spot fires happening across the nation and we need to make sure we get this under control,” she said.
AAP
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