Queensland has recorded five new COVID-19 cases in quarantine, as restrictions on aged care facilities and hospitals for Victorian visitors come into force.
Each of the infections was diagnosed in hotel quarantine and acquired overseas.
People who have been in Victoria since Dec. 21 are now banned from visiting “vulnerable facilities,” including aged care facilities, hospitals, disability accommodation and correctional facilities.
“We’re responding quickly to protect people in these facilities by restricting any visitors who have been in high-risk locations so we can keep them as safe as possible,” Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said on Jan 3.
On Saturday, anybody who had been in Victoria since Dec. 21 was told to get tested and self-isolate until they get their results.
“We have been working to increase capacity across the state, particularly in the south east corner, by mobilising additional clinics and staff, and extending hours at existing clinics,” Young said.
There are now 17 active cases in Queensland and the state has gone 111 days without a case of community-based infection.
The only recent positive cases have been reported in hotel quarantine, including a child who returned from Pakistan on the weekend.
Young advised people to “keep engaged” while on holiday in the state because things could “unfortunately rapidly change.”
The Queensland border is already closed to anyone who has been in the COVID-declared hotspots of Greater Sydney and surrounding areas in the past 14 days. Those restrictions are expected to be reviewed on Jan. 8.
“We don’t need to extend any border restrictions to Melbourne or Victoria but we’re keeping a very close eye on that,” she said.
Border declaration passes are also needed for travellers who have visited NSW since Dec. 11.
