Queensland bracing for more Covid cases
SYDNEY: The Australian state of Queensland warned yesterday that more cases of Covid-19 were expected as authorities scrambled to contain an outbreak linked to the virulent British variant.
Officials reported eight new local cases yesterday, taking the total to 15 so far.
All of the cases were linked to two distinct virus clusters, one related to a doctor and the second to a nurse, authorities said.
"The fact that we have these cases that are linked is good news," Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. "Do we expect to see more cases? Probably. Probably, we will see more."
Brisbane, the state capital, is under a three-day lockdown until tomorrow, requiring more than two million city residents to stay home except for essential work, healthcare, grocery shopping or exercise.
Several states closed their borders with Queensland, while others will require travellers from the virus hot spots to self-isolate for two weeks on their return.
Neighbouring New South Wales state is also on alert after two of the Queensland cases, a nurse and her sister, travelled while unknowingly infectious to Byron Bay, a tourist town.
"I hope that we do not have any cases emerge in New South Wales, but I won't be surprised if we did. So we need to brace ourselves," state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said. - REUTERS
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