Western Australia orders all visitors from Queensland to isolate for 14 days

Western Australia has further tightened restrictions on visitors from Queensland, requiring all visitors to self-isolate for 14 days.

The move comes after revelations one of two new Brisbane coronavirus cases hosted a house party for about 25 people, ignoring advice to self-isolate.

‘Due to the evolving Covid-19 situation in Queensland, additional steps are being taken to keep WA safe,’ Mr McGowan said in a Facebook post on Saturday night.

‘Effective immediately all arrivals from Queensland will now need to complete 14 days of self-quarantine.’

Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan (pictured) has ordered all QLD visitors to quarantine for 14 days

The move comes after revelations one of two new Brisbane coronavirus cases hosted a house party for about 25 people, ignoring advice to self-isolate. Pictured: Travellers in Brisbane 

The new directions also apply to those who arrived from Queensland earlier on Saturday.

‘Initially, those travellers were required to self-quarantine until a negative Covid-19 result was returned, however due to updated health advice a full 14-day period of self-quarantine is now required,’ Mr McGowan said.

The premier said the Emergency Management Team, himself, the health minister, police commissioner and chief health officer met late on Saturday afternoon to review new information from Queensland.

‘Based on further information from QLD, the WA Chief Health Officer has recommended QLD’s risk rating be adjusted from ‘very low risk’ to ‘low risk’,’ he said.

The man at the centre of Queensland’s latest Covid-19 outbreak hosted a house party when he was meant to be isolating while waiting for his test results.

Health authorities revealed on Saturday that the man threw a party for 25 people despite being identified as a close contact of a 26-year-old tradie who earlier tested positive to the highly-infectious UK strain.

Local residents line up outside a 24-hour Covid testing clinic south of Brisbane in January

The man, aged in his 20s and from Strathpine in Brisbane’s north, later tested positive and his 25 guests have now been forced into quarantine.

‘More locations may be added after it was revealed the Strathpine man hosted a gathering of around 25 people at his home between being instructed to isolate and getting his positive test results,’ Queensland Health said on Saturday night.  

Queensland issued a Public Health Alert for parts of Brisbane and Moreton Bay regions following the two local infections.  

Officials announced on Friday a landscaper from Stafford in the city’s north tested positive to the highly contagious UK strain of Covid, sparking exposure alerts for venues including a busy Westfield shopping centre.

A Public Health Alert has been issued for parts of Brisbane and Moreton Bay regions following the two local infections. Pictured: Two people wear face masks

Genomic sequencing shows the 26-year-old’s case is linked to the strain which infected a doctor at the Princess Alexandra Hospital two weeks ago – but officials have no idea how it jumped between the two, who are not known to have ever met. 

Queensland Health updated their growing list of Covid hotspots on Saturday night to include more than a dozen venues visited by the Strathpine man.

The new venues, which are dated from March 20 to March 25, include a Bunnings, Dan Murphy’s and Hungry Jacks. 

Anyone who has been to the venues must immediately isolate and get tested on Sunday.