A growing number of schools have been caught up in south-east Queensland's latest COVID-19 cluster, with the number of infected students and families continuing to rise.
Thousands of close contacts have been ordered to get tested and isolate for 14 days, while other schools have been put on high alert over potential exposure.
All students – except the children of essential workers and vulnerable students – have been forced to study from home while health authorities try to clamp down on the outbreak.
Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said she was "very, very concerned" about the Delta transmission risk in schools.
"Although [young people] are ... less likely to die, they are more likely to transmit to other people," Dr Young said.
It comes as 10 of today's community cases are in children aged under nine.
How has the virus spread between schools?
The first known case in the outbreak was a 17-year-old girl from Indooroopilly State High School in Brisbane's inner west.
Genome sequencing has linked her infection to two returned travellers from overseas, but the connection between them and the student is not yet known.
The girl's parents and two siblings, one of which attends Ironside State School, later tested positive.
Her tutor, a medical student from the University of Queensland, was also infected.
Since then, there have been 10 cases linked to Ironside State School, plus five of their household contacts.
Five people who attended a karate class at the Ironside campus have tested positive, including a student from Brisbane Boys Grammar, whose father has also been infected.
Two extra cases have been linked to Indooroopilly State High School.
On Monday afternoon, Brisbane Girls Grammar School confirmed a student had tested positive to COVID-19.
What schools have been impacted?
More than eight major schools across Brisbane have been swept up in the unfolding outbreak.
Ironside State School and Indooroopilly State High School have been closed for two weeks after being deemed close contact exposure venues.
Students, families and staff members connected to the schools have been ordered to get tested and isolate for 14 days.
Brisbane Grammar School has also been identified as a close contact site, with people who attended the campus on Thursday and Friday told to isolate.
Anyone who attended Brisbane Girls Grammar School on July 30 between 8:00am and 8:00pm has been told to get tested and quarantine with household members.
Those who attended an Open Day event at Brisbane Girls Grammar School on Friday evening are also considered close contacts.
St Peters Lutheran College at Indooroopilly was initially identified as a potential exposure site and all members of the school community were asked to isolate.
That requirement has now been relaxed – except for those who attended a Year 7 debate between St Peters and Brisbane Grammar School on Thursday July 29.
The prep rooms and Before School Care centre at Pullenvale State School have been deemed casual contact sites, with people who attended during the identified timeframes last week told to quarantine until they receive a negative test result.
Brigidine College said a chorister who attended an Australian Girls' Choir (AGC) rehearsal at the school's Indooroopilly campus on Wednesday night had tested positive.
Principal Brendan Cahill told parents Queensland Health would reach out to affected families with more instructions.
"The chorister attended one of our specialist groups rehearsing from 5:00pm and AGC has provided Brigidine College and Queensland Health with the contact details for all class members and staff lists," he said.
"I also suggest that if any Brigidine College student or family was in contact with the AGC during these times, that they get tested and follow further health advice."
St Aidan's Anglican Girls' School notified families today that a positive case had visited the campus on Saturday to attend the Japanese School of Queensland.
In an email to parents, principal Toni Riordan said the senior school campus would undergo a deep clean.
"The person who has tested positive was on site on Saturday 31 July 2021 until approximately 11:00am and therefore is low risk to St Aidan's students and staff," Ms Riordan said.
"We will be able to operate the supervision of children of essential workers and vulnerable students from the Junior School."
Meanwhile, all students at St Joseph's College Gregory Terrace have been urged to get tested.
Central Queensland school on alert
Students at Mt Morgan State High School in Central Queensland are also on alert after visiting the Rookwood Weir last week, where an infectious Brisbane woman flew in for work.
Dr Young said there had not been any transmission there so far.
"I don't know that there was any direct crossover [with Mt Morgan students], but we know that Delta can transmit within seconds so the thing is to be as cautious as you possibly can," she said.
The state government said those students, along with workers at the weir, would have their coronavirus tests prioritised.
The school said it would remain open as there were no confirmed cases.
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2021-08-02 06:51:05Z
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