Brisbane locks down after new Covid-19 variant case found in quarantine

Australian state Queensland will enforce a three-day lockdown in Brisbane, the state capital, from Friday evening after a quarantine hotel worker tested positive for the more contagious variant of Covid-19 that has emerged in Britain and South Africa, Reuters is reporting.

Brisbane’s more than two million residents must wear masks and can go outside only for one of four essential reasons – grocery shopping, work, exercise or medical treatment.

“If we do not do this now, it could end up being a 30-day lockdown,” state Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath told reporters on Friday, “We know that the level of infection is very high in this particular variant. We have to act differently to what we had before. Any delay could see significant, if not catastrophic results.”

The decision to temporarily shut down Australia’s third-largest city came hours before a special national Cabinet meeting to consider a proposal from the country’s expert medical panel to further tighten rules for international travellers.

Australia is on course to begin administering the first Covid-19 vaccines in February as it tries to contain the spread of infections in its largest cities of Sydney and Melbourne.

Victoria, the country’s second-most populous state, reported no cases for the second straight day.

Australia has reported a total of just over 28,500 Covid-19 cases and 909 deaths since the pandemic began, with border closures and speedy tracking systems helping keep numbers relatively low.