New mask rules extended to Gold Coast after two COVID-positive cases were active in the community

New mask rules extended to Gold Coast after two COVID-positive cases were active in the community

Stricter mask rules implemented yesterday in Brisbane and Moreton Bay have been extended to the Gold Coast after two new COVID-positive cases were active in the community, meaning it is now mandatory to wear a mask when inside a venue.

Authorities are calling for increased testing and vaccinations on the Gold Coast - as well as in Queensland more broadly as vaccination rates are lagging behind the rest of the country - with Health Minister Yvette D'Ath emphasising "the virus is on our doorstep".

Queensland Health has formally only reported one new community case, a man in his 50s who lives in Biggera Waters who has received two doses of the vaccine and is linked to the aviation training worker disclosed yesterday, with the other new case registered in New South Wales - a truck driver residing in Gaven who regularly travels between the Gold Coast and Sydney.

More contact tracing locations are due to be published in relation to both individuals, with Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young noting they have been active in the community.

"Anyone in the Gold Coast or anyone who's been in the Gold Coast in the last week, please go and check that website," Dr Young said.

Dr Young said the Gaven man was active in the community for three days on the Gold Coast, specifically Mermaid Waters, Merrimac, Surfers Paradise, Mermaid Beach, Miami, Palm Beach and Currumbin.

She said all of the new cases reported this week are from new clusters.

"I got back the whole genome sequencing results last night for two cases from yesterday...both of them are Delta and neither of them have clustered with any case in Queensland; they're clustered with cases in New South Wales and indeed, with the United States," she said.

"That fits with that aviation worker who works in that facility that we know international pilots use.

"We have these brand new outbreaks happening every day."

Since yesterday's reporting, Queensland Health has published several new exposure sites in South Brisbane, Spring Hill and Albany Creek, including a cafe, a Woolworths, a pharmacy, a Domino's and two McDonald's restaurants.

Updated at 10:33am AEST on 29 September 2021.

This update is brought to you by Employment Hero.

Click here to go to Employment Hero’s COVID-19 Resource Hub for essential resources to help employers, managers and HR specialists navigate the ongoing pandemic. 


 

 

 

Get our daily business news

Sign up to our free email news updates.

 
Whitefox Recruitment founder Luke Hemmings making strides as a careers leader
Partner Content
After relocating his Canberra-founded company Whitefox Recruitment to the Gold Coast la...
Whitefox Recruitment
Advertisement

Related Stories

ASIC secures its first court win for greenwashing against US giant Vanguard

ASIC secures its first court win for greenwashing against US giant Vanguard

The Australian corporate watchdog has caught out one of the world&r...

Medicinal cannabis group Althea shaves $1.5m from its cost base through staff cutbacks

Medicinal cannabis group Althea shaves $1.5m from its cost base through staff cutbacks

Australian-founded medicinal cannabis company Althea Group (ASX: AG...

Charter Hall snares 15pc stake in Hotel Property Investments for $97m from 360 Capital

Charter Hall snares 15pc stake in Hotel Property Investments for $97m from 360 Capital

Listed funds manager 360 Capital Group (ASX: TGP) has offloaded its...

The party’s over: Splendour in the Grass festival cancelled for 2024

The party’s over: Splendour in the Grass festival cancelled for 2024

Splendour in the Grass, Australia’s largest winter music fest...