Covid-19 News Updates

Raft of new exposure sites listed in Gold Coast, Brisbane as delayed case reports come through

Update (27 July): It has been confirmed by Queensland Health that genome sequencing has linked the latest case who travelled from China to another hotel quarantine guest from South Africa, who had flown to Australia from Doha.

Queenslanders have been urged to keep a close eye on a growing list of exposure sites in the wake of revelations about two new cases in particular - a Sydneysider who is now known as the index case for a flight attendant whose positive test was revealed on Friday, and a man who returned to Australia from China.

Westfield Chermside, two Nundah locations, Harbour Town, Pacific Fair, the Q Super Centre in Mermaid Waters, a childcare centre in Parkwood, and a Chinese restaurant in Southport are among the new venues listed.

Yesterday the state's health authorities confirmed the flight crew member had likely been infected with COVID-19 when she picked up a man from Ballina, NSW - a close contact of a known COVID-19 case - on 14 July, giving some relief to regional communities and passengers connected to her previous flights to and from Longreach, Gladstone and Harvey Bay.

Today the Queensland Government has revealed one new case of community transmission who not only passed three negative COVID-19 tests before being released from hotel quarantine in Brisbane, but came forward for testing almost two weeks ago.

"I'm not sure of the acquisition of this case. It could have been in China, it could have been in hotel quarantine, or indeed it could have been in the community down in the Gold Coast," says Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young.

The man returned to his home on the Gold Coast on 12 July, but as he and his family felt unwell they went to their GP the next day and got tested.

It must be noted that visiting your local doctor is discouraged in these circumstances and that the health advice is to present to a COVID-19 testing clinic instead if you have symptoms.

"We got that first test result back yesterday, but it was a very, very high CT (cycle threshold) value so not a lot of virus, so we're just trying to work through what exactly that meant," says Dr Young.

"We got a second test done and that's come back at a moderate level of a CT value which means there's a reasonable amount of virus."

A CT value relates to how many cycles it takes for a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to detect the virus, implying an inverse relationship between how high the CT value is and the viral load.

This value has no bearing on the severity of disease, but it can give health professionals or contact tracers a signal as to the stage of the virus a patient might be in and how infectious they are.

"So that [moderate CT value] means he's definitely at the acute stage of the new infection. So we'll just work through what that means," Dr Young says.

"We've already spoken to him, of course, and worked out where he's been out in the community and we've put all of those exposures sides up on our website. So there's quite a number of those for people to be aware of.

"Anyone who's been in the Gold Coast or in Brisbane, since 13th of July, please look at her website and check and see if you've been to any of those exposure sites."

Updated at 12:16pm AEST on 26 July 2021.

ATAGI changes AstraZeneca vaccine advice for adults in Sydney

Advice surrounding the administration of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine has changed over the weekend, with all adults in Sydney now asked to "strongly consider" getting the jab as cases continue to rise in the New South Wales capital.

The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) issued a statement on Saturday regarding the immunisation of all adults in Sydney, slightly changing its advice.

The advisory group's new advice is that all adults aged 18 years and older in greater Sydney should "strongly consider" getting vaccinated with any available vaccine, including AstraZeneca.

"This is on the basis of the increasing risk of COVID-19 and ongoing constraints of Comirnaty (Pfizer) supplies," ATAGI said.

"In addition, people in areas where outbreaks are occurring can receive the second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine 4 to 8 weeks after the first dose, rather than the usual 12 weeks, to bring forward optimal protection."

The advice is a departure from ATAGI's previous communication that the AstraZeneca vaccine was not recommended for those aged under 60 because of a blood clotting risk for younger Australians.

However, due to the size of the COVID-19 outbreak in Sydney, ATAGI said the benefits of receiving the AstraZeneca jab were greater than the risk of rare side effects for all age groups.

"In the context of the current risk of COVID-19 in NSW and with the ongoing constraints on Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccine supplies, all adults in greater Sydney should strongly consider the benefits of earlier protection with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca rather than waiting for alternative vaccines," ATAGI said.

"Maximal protection requires two doses of vaccine, but even a single dose of either vaccine provides substantial protection (by more than 70 per cent) against hospitalisation.

"A single dose of COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca partially reduces transmission by around half and therefore may also benefit close contacts and the community."

The updated advice preceded a Federal Government announcement on Sunday that an additional 85 million doses of the Pfizer jab had been secured - 60 million of which will come this year and 25 million in 2023.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new supply schedule would provide every Australian with a booster vaccine if required.

"We have secured an additional 85 million doses of Pfizer, which brings Australia's total Pfizer doses to 125 million," the Prime Minister said.

"This is a significant shot in the arm for Australia's vaccine supply. Every Australian will have access to a booster shot if it is needed.

"This will ensure individuals, families and communities have certainty about their continued protection against the evolving threat of COVID-19 over the next two years. We have turned the corner in Australia's vaccine programme, and this is another milestone on our pathway back to a normal life."

COVID cases rise nationally

The updates come amid a weekend during which three Australian states were in lockdown and hundreds of fines were issued and dozens charged following anti-lockdown protests in Sydney.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian said she was "utterly disgusted" by the protests.

"It just broke my heart that people had such a disregard for their fellow citizens," the Premier said.

As the protests were happening on Saturday NSW recorded 163 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19, and then 141 on Sunday.

Interstate, South Australia and Victoria also recorded new locally acquired cases ahead of planned easing of lockdown restrictions.

SA's situation is looking positive ahead of the end of its seven-day lockdown, set to finish on Tuesday, recording one new locally acquired case on Saturday and two on Sunday - all of which were in isolation while infectious.

Victoria recorded 12 new cases on Saturday and 11 on Sunday. All of Sunday's cases were in isolation while infectious.

Meanwhile Queensland authorities are scrambling to identify new exposure sites in the state after a man from Sydney ignored quarantine orders and travelled to the state, spending days in the community.

As such, several contact tracing locations in Chermside and Nundah were issued on Sunday afternoon, including multiple times and dates for Goodstart Early Learning Centre in Parkwood on the Gold Coast from 13 to 23 July.

The full list of new Queensland exposure sites can be found here.

Updated at 10.15am AEST on 26 July 2021.

Daniel Andrews calls for "ring of steel" around Sydney as Victoria records 14 new cases

After Gladys Berejiklian today declared the COVID-19 situation in New South Wales a "national emergency", her counterpart in Victoria has demanded a ring of steel be placed around Sydney to ensure the highly infectious Delta strain stops leaking interstate.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews made the comments this morning during his daily COVID-19 update during which it was revealed the state had recorded 14 new locally acquired cases of the coronavirus overnight.

"We need a ring of steel around Sydney so that this virus is not spreading into other parts of our nation," Andrews said.

"Let's focus on fixing what's going on in Sydney, let's focus on not spreading what's going on in Sydney across the rest of our country - we'll finish up with the whole country in lockdown.

"The last thing I want is Victorians to see off this second Delta outbreak, only to have further incursions because what's been going on in Sydney has not been contained to Sydney."

It comes as Victoria records 14 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases, of which three were infectious in the community and one is still under investigation.

"We now have 75 per cent plus of our new cases isolated, no risk to public health, no risk to anyone else," Andrews said.

"That's a triumph of the work that our entire public health team is doing, but its also a testament to about 20,000 people who are at home, isolating, to keep everybody else safe."

The state conducted circa 43,500 tests yesterday which Andrews says gives health authorities a "pretty complete picture of what's going on".

The Premier has encouraged Victorians to continue to get tested to give him confidence that lockdown restrictions can ease next week.

"It's very difficult for us today, on Friday, to predict what will happen next Tuesday at midnight," the Premier said.

"But I would say that the trend is with us - these results are very encouraging."

Updated at 12.29pm AEST on 23 July 2021.

NSW outbreak a "national emergency" as state records 136 locally acquired cases

Both NSW premier Gladys Berejiklian and Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant have labelled the state's outbreak a "national emergency", calling for an urgent increase in vaccination in affected areas.

It comes after the state recorded 136 cases of local transmission in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, of which less than four in every 10 were known to be in isolation for their entire infectious period.

Therefore, 83 of the new cases were either active in the community, only isolated for part of their infectious period, or their movement are unknown.

Berejiklian indicated that from today "the New South Wales Government will be calling on the Federal Government to refocus our national vaccination strategy" to prevent the outbreak spilling across state borders.

Dr Chant explained a rethink was needed given case numbers were not going down or flattening as authorities would have liked, calling to break the "myth" around AstraZeneca so that more over-40s get the vaccine, and more under-40s consider it.

Health Minister Brad Hazzard emphasised that while the probability of death from COVID was one in 200 for older populations, the probability of death from AstraZeneca-related complications was more like one in two million

With growing clusters concentrated in Western and Southwestern Sydney, Dr Chant recommended the refocused vaccine strategy should specifically target the existing key areas of concern in the local government areas (LGAs) of Fairfield, Canterbury, Bankstown and Liverpool, but also new LGAs with heightened restrictions - Blacktown and Cumberland.

Workers in Blacktown and Cumberland will now also be subject to rules that won't allow them to leave their communities, unless they are registered on an authorised list of "critical workers".

"What we've done as a government is is refocus our efforts in distributing vaccines in Southwest Sydney - we have a micro-plan for how we will get not only more doses of AstraZeneca in arms, but we also have to acknowledge that is a very young population in those communities, and we need at least more first doses of Pfizer," the Premier said.

"We will be taking to National Cabinet, through the advice of the chief medical officer, our strong advice and recommendation that consideration be given to at least having more people have at least one dose of either vaccine, which reduces transmission.

"Fortunately, one thing that's become apparent during the last few weeks is that barely anybody with two doses of the vaccine is having acquired serious illness. The vaccines are working."

She reiterated the vaccines help stop high rates of transmission which means stopping people spreading it as much as they otherwise would, or stopping people from getting very sick.

The Premier noted the virus continued to spread mostly through households and workplaces, with the latter coming from essential businesses that keep Sydney working and fed, such as in critical food outlets and critical distribution chains.

As lockdowns continue to impact residents living in those areas, Berejiklian hinted the NSW government will be considering "additional support" to those areas in the days to come.

Berejiklian said the lockdown is likely to be extended.

"There is no doubt that the numbers are not going in the direction we were hoping," the Premier said.

"It's fairly apparent that we won't be close to zero by next Friday."

Sadly, NSW Health also reported the death of an 89-year-old resident today.

Updated at 12.52am AEST on 23 July 2021.

"Early signs are very positive": SA announces one new case of COVID-19

Premier Steven Marshall has announced one new COVID-19 case in South Australia, which has been linked to the Tenafeate Creek Wines cluster that was announced two days ago and has now risen to eight cases.

Last night, SA health authorities also listed another winery in the state's growing list of exposure sites which now totals 79 - the Seppeltsfield Winery in the Barossa Valley.

The new case is a man who has been transferred to Tom's Court Hotel after developing symptoms while in quarantine, where he has tested positive.

The state has also hit an all-time record in testing with 23,572 results returned. The waiting time for results has remained around the 12-hour mark.

"All the early signs are very positive this will just be a seven-day lockdown," Premier Marshall says.

"I think we have cause for optimism, but we've only got cause for optimism because of the great cooperation that we have had from the people of South Australia.

A new testing site will also be added at Netball SA Mile End to keep up with demand.

Parts of the TAFE SA Regency Park campus have also been identified as tier 1 COVID-19 exposure sites, forcing people who attended those sections of the campus to immediately go into quarantine.

Anyone who attended the G block on the campus between 8:30am - 4:40pm on Monday must get tested immediately and quarantine for 14 days with all members of their household.

Other sections of the campus identified as tier 1 exposure sites include the campus's C and F block, iCentral and the main entrance. Anyone who was at those locations from 9:45am - 11:00am must also quarantine.

The entire campus has been listed as a tier 4 site, urging anyone who attended the campus to monitor for symptoms and get tested if they begin to feel unwell.

Today's announcement brings the total case numbers in South Australia to 15. 

Updated at 11.45pm AEST on 23 July 2021.

NZ to suspend Australian quarantine-free travel for eight weeks

The worsening COVID-19 situation in NSW with transmission into other states has led the New Zealand Government to act "with an abundance of caution", suspending the travel bubble with Australia for eight weeks starting at 11:59pm NZT tonight.

While New Zealand already has paused quarantine-free travel to the Australian states of NSW, VIC and SA, covering approximately half the country's population, NZ Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says there is "no doubt the movement of people can complicate recovery".

"It is the government's duty to keep New Zealanders safe from COVID-19, and we continue to believe that the strongest health response is also the strongest economic response," PM Ardern says.

"The Director General of Health has recommended and Cabinet has agreed to suspend quarantine-free travel with Australia. From 11:59pm tonight Australians will no longer be able to enter New Zealand quarantine-free - this will be in place for at least the next eight weeks."

She clarifies the NZ Government is "absolutely committed" to getting New Zealanders in Australia home.

"For the next seven days we will have managed return flights for New Zealanders from all states and territories. Only New Zealand citizens and those ordinarily resident in New Zealand will be able to fly home," she says.

"While we have set the return period to seven days, if we have not met the demand for Kiwis to return in that time we will work with the airlines to extend those flights for a few days till we have brought all those who intend to come home.

As is already the case, anyone who has been in NSW in the last 14 days can only return to New Zealand by a flight from Sydney and will still have to go into manage isolation for 14 days. Those who have been in Victoria must have proof of a negative pre-departure test a and must immediately self isolate upon return, and return a negative day-three test before ending the isolation period.

"For everyone else, you can fly home provided you have evidence of a negative pre-departure test, which is our existing arrangement," Ardern says.

"Once we've exhausted the demand for Kiwis to return, then the suspension of travel will be fully implemented. That means all incoming travellers from Australia will need to have a spot in managed isolation."

The NZ Prime Minister did however emphasise she wanted the travel bubble, which has seen more than 200,000 people travel between the two countries, to return and an assessment will be undertaken at the eight-week mark.

"Firstly, we do want the bubble to resume. We remain committed to it, and when I spoke to Prime Minister Scott Morrison this morning I conveyed this view directly, but it must be safe," she says.

"In the lead-up to reviewing the suspension we'd need to be certain that the outbreak in New South Wales and wider Australia is contained, that in remaining cases are generally linked, that we don't see the large number of cases we're currently seeing in the community.

"We'd want to ensure that New Zealand's elimination strategy would not be at risk from resuming quarantine-free travel."

Updated at 11:57am AEST on 23 July 2021.

TGA grants provisional approval of Pfizer COVID-19 jab for those aged as young as 12

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has provisionally approved the use of the Pfizer BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine (COMIRNATY) in individuals aged between 12 and 15.

Previously, the TGA had only provisionally approved the Pfizer inoculation for use in individuals 16 and older, but today's decision means younger adolescents can theoretically receive the vaccine if it is made available.

However, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) must still make its own recommendation on whether those aged as young as 12 can receive the vaccine.

Currently ATAGI recommends the Pfizer jab as the preferred vaccine for those aged 16 to 59 years, but supply constraints means the Federal Government is prioritising those most at risk of serious illness or death from COVID-19 to receive that specific vaccine.

Updated at 10.19am AEST on 23 July 2021.

Brisbane flight attendant tests positive after several regional flights 11 days ago

A Qantas flight attendant who lives in Brisbane has tested positive to COVID-19 after working on several regional flights between 11-12 July, with authorities urging passengers on all flights concerned - to and from Longreach, Gladstone and Harvey Bay - to come forward for testing.

Positive sewage testing in Byron Bay has also raised alarm bells for Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles, who recommends only essential interstate travel and has claimed "what is at stake is the border zone itself".

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young confirms the Banyo woman in her 30s who works as a flight attendant has tested positive to the Delta strain of the virus, but genome sequencing shows this is unrelated to other outbreaks currently reported in the state.

"She came forward and got tested on the 21st of July. Her symptoms started on the 13th of July, so we're deeming her infectious period back to the 11th of July," Dr Young says.

"She crewed six flights on the 11th and 12th of July, and it is critical that anyone who was on any of those flights immediately comes forward and gets tested."

The new community case was on the following flights:

• QF2534 Brisbane-Longreach on 11 July
• QF2535 Longreach-Brisbane on 11 July
• QF2346 Brisbane-Gladstone on 11 July (stayed overnight at the Mercure Hotel, Gladstone)
• QF2331 Gladstone-Brisbane on 12 July
• QF2374 Brisbane-Harvey Bay on 12 July
• QF2375 Harvey Bay-Brisbane on 12 July

"We're just working with her to look at where she was and what she did from the 13th of July when she became unwell," Dr Young explains.

"Initially she's told us that she's essentially stayed at home, so we're just working that through to check that is the case and whether there any exposure venues.

"So I would advise anyone in Brisbane to check our website this afternoon. We'll put up exposure venues and we'll put out a press release for where she might have been in Brisbane."

Deputy Premier Miles adds Queensland Minister for Regional Development and Manufacturing, Glenn Butcher, was on the specified flight from Brisbane to Gladstone, has been tested and is in home quarantine.

"Given this is some time ago, if we can get all of the passengers tested that will give a picture of whether there is a greater risk here than we're currently aware of," Miles added.

Updated at 9:50am AEST on 23 July 2021.

Premier "hopeful" SA spread has stopped as two new cases reported

With South Australia reporting just two new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 today, the state's Premier is "hopeful" the spread of the Delta variant has been stopped.

"I'm still extraordinarily hopeful that we have been able to stop the spread of this disease," Marshall said.

"Hopefully over this seven-day lockdown period we can stop it dead in its tracks but that will only happen with the continued cooperation of all South Australians."

Both of SA's two new cases are linked to a cluster at the Tenafeate Creek winery in Yattalunga, bringing the total connected to the state's outbreak to 14

The update from the Premier comes after a record number of COVID-19 tests were undertaken yesterday, with 17,592 people coming forward to get tested.

However, Marshall noted that with the large number of South Australians in directed quarantine that still need to get tested there may be more new infections uncovered in the coming days.

"There's still a huge number of test results to come in, a huge number of people who are in directed quarantine at the moment," Marshall said.

SA now has more than 70 COVID-19 exposure locations, and the Premier has urged residents to regularly check the SA Health website to see if they have visited any of the sites.

Updated at 12.28pm AEST on 22 July 2021.

NSW daily case numbers hit 124 as community exposure remains high

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has warned Sydneysiders to "assume anybody you're in contact with has the virus" after the state logged its highest number of new cases since the current outbreak began on 16 June.

There were 124 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 reported for NSW in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, of which only 37 were in isolation throughout their infectious period.

This means that more than two-thirds of the latest cases were either out in the community at some point while infectious or their movements are unknown.

NSW Health reports 48 were infectious in the community, 22 cases were in isolation for part of their infectious period, and the isolation status of 17 cases remains under investigation.

That 48 number represents an increase on 43 yesterday and 27 on Tuesday, showing a fluctuating percentage between 34-39 per cent of new cases who are classed as 'infectious in the community'.

"Now, given that number of infectious in the community, I'm expecting case numbers to go up even higher," Berejiklian said.

Via covid19data.com.au

Of the new cases, 67 are linked to a known case or cluster, with the remaining 57 under investigation.

While the vast majority of cases came out of the South Western Sydney Local Health District (LHD) and Western Sydney LHD, positive results were recorded across the metropolitan region, the Nepean Blue Mountains LHD, and Illawarra Shoalhaven.

There are now 118 COVID-19 cases admitted to hospital in NSW with 28 people in intensive care, 14 of whom require ventilation.

Health authorities recorded more than 85,000 tests carried out during the reporting period.

Updated at 12:38pm AEST on 22 July 2021.