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COVID case flew to Central Queensland weir site

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles says household COVID-19 contacts won't need to quarantine.

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles says household COVID-19 contacts won't need to quarantine. Photo: AAP

A contractor working on the Rookwood Weir west of Rockhampton has tested positive for COVID-19.

The case means the Queensland outbreak has spread well beyond the state’s south-east, where a three-day lockdown is under way.

The woman is believed to have been infectious when she took a Qantas flight from Brisbane to Rockhampton on July 28 and a return flight on July 30.

Health authorities are urgently testing workers at the weir work camp, who are in their rooms for 14 days’ quarantine.

Other workers who have been at the site have been contacted and told to isolate.

The woman was an external contractor at the site and tested positive on July 31.

Authorities are also contacting people who were on QF2362 at 8.30am on July 28 and QF2365 at 6.40pm on Friday.

Queensland reported nine new local COVID-19 cases on Sunday, the highest number in almost a year.

There are more than 80 exposure sites linked to the outbreak, with about 20 new sites of concern listed on Sunday.

Earlier on Sunday, Deputy Premier Steven Miles said implored more Queenslanders to seek virus testing, with fewer than 12,000 tests conducted on Saturday.

Authorities hope to see at least 40,000 daily tests.

The local government areas of Brisbane, Ipswich, Logan City, Moreton Bay, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley and Scenic Rim entered the lockdown on Saturday afternoon, which has harshest virus restrictions the Sunshine State has seen.

Residents in affected areas can only leave home for essential work, study or child care, to exercise, buy food and supplies, and receive health care, including being tested for COVID-19 or vaccinated.

Non-essential travel must be within 10 kilometres of residences and everyone must wear a mask when outside their home.

All schools in the lockdown zone will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, while all staff and students of Indooroopilly High School and Ironside State School are in quarantine for two weeks.

Other schools affected by the outbreak include St Peters Lutheran College, Brisbane Girls Grammar School and Brisbane Boys Grammar School.

Exposure sites can be viewed at qld.gov.au/health/conditions/health-alerts/coronavirus-covid-19/current-status/contact-tracing

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