The new case is a man in his 20s who was sitting with three friends close to an infected hen’s party from Queensland at the Byron Beach Hotel. His three friends have returned a negative test however health officials have issued new venue alerts after the man visited several locations not knowing he was infectious: – BALLINA: The Henry Rous Tavern on Sunday March 28 between 1.20-2.20pm.– BALLINA: Golf and Sports Club Pro shop on Sunday March 28 between 2.25 and 2.35pmThe following venue alerts were also issued this morning:LATEST COVID VENUE ALERTS Premier Gladys Berejiklian has announced that new restrictions will be put in place in four local government areas due to the local case. The restrictions will apply in the local government areas of Byron, Ballina, Tweed, and Lismore. Household gatherings will be limited to 30 people. All venues will revert to 4sq metre rule and drinking while standing will be banned. Masks will be compulsory in settings including public transport and retail. The Premier also said people in those four local government areas should not travel to other parts of the state. “Feel free to travel within those four local government areas but we would ask you to reconsider your plans if you’re planning to go to other parts of the state,” she said. QUEENSLAND RECORDS TWO CASESQueensland has recorded just two new locally acquired coronavirus cases in the past day.Both cases have been linked to an already existing cluster, a development Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said was “encouraging”. “We now have a total of 71 active cases in our hospitals … This is fantastic news that over the past 24 hours, there have been 33,408 tests,” she said.“That is a massive, massive number. I think that’s probably our highest.“The fact that we do not have any unlinked community transmission in the southeast or in our state is absolutely encouraging news.”The two new cases have both been tracked back to the cluster linked to a nurse at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra hospital. Ms Palaszczuk said she will give an update about greater Brisbane’s lockdown tomorrow morning.“Fingers crossed, all will be looking good for Easter. Like I said, it depends on the testing rate again. If we see very good testing rates across Queensland and we don’t see any unlinked community transmission – the signs for Easter are looking positive,” she said.BLUESFEST STILL IN DOUBTThe Byron Shire Council is looking to the state government for advice about whether Bluesfest should go ahead. The event is expected to start on Thursday and NSW health officials have urged people from Brisbane not to attend. Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson said the community is looking to the state government to see whether the event goes ahead. “I think the local community of Byron has an expectation that we will get assurance that, whatever is put in place, it will keep us healthy and safe,” he told Channel 9. “I am sure the Premier will be announcing an increase in mandatory face mask-wearing which will be at Bluesfest and all the buses to get people to Bluesfest. Currently, it is only optional.”“I think we will go back to some more stringent COVID rules and regulations but, I guess, we and the wider NSW just want assurance from the state government that they will continue to look after us and make sure that whatever is put in place will be for the best health and safety of the local community and the rest of Australia.”NEW POP-UP TESTING CLINICS NEAR BYRONNSW Health has created pop-up testing clinics in Northern NSW to help cope with an increased demand for testing:Byron Bay QML Pathology Drive-Through, Cavanbah Sports Ground, 249 Ewingsdale Rd, Byron Bay. Open from 8am to 8pm Monday – Sunday.Byron Bay Walk-in Pop-Up Clinic; Byron Bay surf club, Bay St, Byron Bay. Open from 9am – 5pm. Lennox Head QML Pathology Drive-through clinic, Lennox Community Centre, Cnr Park Lane and Mackney Lane, 8am – 8pm Monday – Sunday. No Tweed Heads QML Pathology Drive-through clinic, Cnr Wharf and Florence Street, Tweed Heads, 8am – 8pm Monday -Sunday. No GP referral required. Lismore QML Pathology Drive – through clinic, 354 Keen Street, Lismore 8am – 7pm, open from this afternoon.NED-3563-Links-In-The-Covid-ChainBRISBANE HOSPITAL IN LOCKDOWNA Brisbane hospital has been placed into an emergency lockdown as the city grapples with a serious COVID-19 outbreak.The Princess Alexandra Hospital was locked down on Tuesday afternoon, following an alert to staff.Patients are being diverted to other hospitals but Princess Alexandra Hospital will still accept critical and category one elective surgery patients.Staff were told in an email that if they had worked at the hospital campus from noon on Tuesday to not work at another Metro South Health facility until the lockdown was removed.The hospital is the source of two cases that forced Greater Brisbane into a snap three-day lockdown.An unvaccinated Princess Alexandra Hospital doctor – along with two others – tested positive to COVID-19 earlier this month.The doctor was infected by a hotel quarantine guest who had the UK strain. That person is also believed to have infected another hotel quarantine guest, even though their rooms weren’t adjoining. Meanwhile, Mater Mothers’ Hospital has sent staff home, including midwives and doctors, after a recent visitor tested positive to the virus.It is understood the person visited the private maternity section and a nearby cafe that staff frequented. NAT – Stay Informed – Social Media
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