A local case of COVID-19 detected in Queensland has prompted other state governments to order recent arrivals from the affected area to immediately self-isolate and get tested.
The orders cover anyone in Victoria who had been in Brisbane or the neighbouring Moreton Bay region since March 12 and anyone in South Australia or the ACT who had visited the areas since March 20.
NSW, Tasmania and Western Australia also updated their advice to visitors and travellers but did not impose an order to self-isolate.
People who travelled the Northern Territory from Queensland since March 20 and visited any locations must get tested within 72 hours and isolate until a negative test is confirmed.
The changes were put in place after a 26-year-old man from Stafford, in Brisbane’s north, tested positive for the coronavirus on Thursday after being infectious in the community for almost a week.
The changes in Victoria forced visiting fans and even two broadcasters to leave the AFL match between the Geelong Cats and the Brisbane Lions.
The AFL said Lions players, coaches and officials were granted an exemption from the direction but the new restrictions cast doubt on the team’s upcoming match with Collingwood, scheduled for Thursday at The Gabba in Brisbane.
Lions coach Chris Fagan, who admitted he thought there was a chance the Geelong game could be called off, said the club hadn’t received any information from the AFL about a change in plans.
“As far as I know, we’re flying back tomorrow,” he said yesterday.
“That could change. As we know, life changes pretty quickly these days.”
It’s unclear how many Lions fans or other arrivals in Victoria had travelled from the Brisbane City Council or Moreton Bay Regional Council areas for the game but anyone who did must now get a test within 72 hours and self-isolate until it comes back negative.
Victoria’s DHHS also shifted the Brisbane City Council and Moreton Bay Regional Council areas, covering some 1.7 million people, to orange on the traffic-light system, meaning the same restrictions apply to new arrivals, with an exception for “transit to the airport”.
Starting from 12.01am on Saturday, anyone arriving in NSW who has visited Brisbane or the Moreton Bay region in the past fortnight must fill out a passenger declaration form, which includes confirmation of whether or not they have visited any of the sites.
NSW Health said anyone who had been at a venue of high concern should not enter NSW, with those already in the state directed to self-isolate and call NSW Health on 1800 943 553.
Differing entry requirements for new arrivals apply across different states.
The infections were caused by the more contagious B117 coronavirus variant, commonly referred to as the UK variant, authorities said.
This content first appear on 9news