Brisbane lockdown to end 12pm today, as state records one new locally acquired COVID-19 case

The new local case is linked to an existing cluster, while another nine cases were diagnosed in hotel quarantine.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said “Easter is good to go” as she announced the ending of the lockdown.

She said the lockdown would lift early to avoid a rush of cars on the road.

“I understand a lot of families in the Greater Brisbane have made plans and the last thing we want to see are accidents on our roads at 5pm this afternoon into the evening,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“So if you have plans, the lockdown is lifted from 12 noon today and I encourage people to take care on the roads.”

While the lockdown will lift today, a number of restrictions will remain in place for all of Queensland.

For the next two weeks from midday today until April 15, the following restrictions will apply:

Easter church services have also been given the go-ahead, with the two-square-metre rule to apply and mask-wearing mandatory.

Churches may fill to 100 per cent capacity if they have a ticketed event.

New local COVID-19 case ‘not a risk at all’

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young has described the latest person to test positive in Queensland as “the perfect case”.

The individual was one of those who attended the hen’s party in Byron Bay last weekend.

“When the person came back to Queensland, they went into quarantine and they were tested on Monday night and they were negative on Monday night,” Dr Young said.

“Then they were tested again Wednesday morning when they were positive, so they have been in quarantine during their infectious period – so not a risk at all.”

Dr Young said the extensive COVID-19 testing being done made her “reasonably confident” that Queensland Health was successfully managing its two clusters.

“The amount of testing over the last 48 hours has been astronomical,” she said.

“Thank you to every single person who has come forward.”

Returned overseas travellers ‘a real risk’

There are now 82 active coronavirus cases being treated in hospitals across Queensland.

Of those, 68 are returned travellers and 14 are locally acquired cases.

“That’s a real risk for us because I think we are the highest state in the country at the moment with the most number of active cases in hospital who are returned travellers from overseas,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“In light of that, I have written to the Prime Minister to ask for another further extension to the end of April in terms of reducing our capacity of returned travellers.”

The state inoculated another 7596 high-priority individuals yesterday, with the total number vaccinated in the state now at 79,534.

“We give out our figures every day and it would be great to see the Commonwealth do exactly the same,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Call to remove Brisbane as hotspot as travellers fly in to Queensland

Ms Palaszczuk said in a positive sign for the revival of the state’s tourism industry, Gold Coast Airport recorded a record number of people flying in yesterday.

“I understand Cairns Airport is doing well as well, so we are expected a very good Easter,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“We’re lifting Greater Brisbane as being a hotspot and I’m asking all other leaders across the country to consider doing the same as well.”

“But if you are coming to Queensland, you’ll have to abide by these restrictions in terms of mask-wearing, just as the same as everybody else.

“Really when you think about it, it’s a small thing to do, but it means that we can go out, support our businesses, support our tourism industry, and spend time with our loved ones which is, you know, a really special time of the year.”