ACT declares Brisbane a virus hotspot, enforces quarantine
Anyone in Canberra who has visited Brisbane since January 2 must immediately isolate following a case of a particularly contagious strain of COVID-19.
The new public health direction was announced on Friday afternoon, following the Queensland government's decision to enforce a three-day lockdown in Greater Brisbane.
A cleaner at a Queensland quarantine hotel tested positive for the UK strain of the virus.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said an international repatriation flight to Canberra due to go ahead in late January would not go ahead.
"It would be my expectation that we would not take a flight until mid February at the earliest," he said.
ACT Chief Health Officer Dr Kerryn Coleman said advice to avoid COVID-19 affected areas in NSW still applied.
"I do know this is difficult for many people and it's been a really, really crappy summer season and will disrupt many people's travel plans," she said.
"But bear with us, we're all in this together."
Dr Coleman reminded Canberrans that flouting the new health direction was a criminal offence,
Canberrans in Greater Brisbane have been asked by ACT Health to follow Queensland Health's advice and remain there until the end of the lockdown period unless it is absolutely essential to return to the ACT.
Those who do return must fill out an online declaration form prior to travelling.
Returnees must quarantine for 14 days and get tested for COVID-19 if they develop symptoms.
Anyone currently in the ACT who has been in Greater Brisbane on or after January 2 must fill out the declaration form and immediately quarantine for 14 days after they were in Greater Brisbane.
Anyone who visited the area on or after January 2 who develops COVID-19 symptoms must get tested.
The online declaration form will be available on the ACT government's COVID-19 website at 3pm.
Those who have been in hotspots are required to complete the online form by 3pm January 9.
ACT Health is urging Canberrans to not travel to Greater Brisbane.
However ACT residents can transit through Greater Brisbane without the need to quarantine so long as travellers do not leave Brisbane Airport, or stop or exit their vehicle.
The advice includes using a hire car if flying to Brisbane to travel to another location in the state.
Meanwhile in NSW, fragments of the virus has been detected at a sewerage treatment centre in Ulladulla.
The treatment centre takes takes sewage from Narrawallee, Milton, Mollymook Beach, Ulladulla, Kings Point, Burrill Lake, Dolphin Point and Lake Tabourie.
NSW Health have advised that anyone who has visited those areas should monitor symptoms and get tested and self isolate if even the mildest symptoms arise.
Mr Barr said there had been no virus fragments detected in Canberra's sewerage this year.
https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/7079100/act-declares-brisbane-a-virus-hotspot-enforces-quarantine/?cs=14225
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