South-east Queensland lockdown slows COVID 'wildfire' but danger not over yet, CHO warns - ABC News

Queensland faced infections "spreading like wildfire" and the likelihood of multiple deaths if a lockdown in the south-east had been postponed, according to the doctor charged with protecting the state's health.

Key points:

• Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young says she can't rule out further lockdowns
• South-east Queensland's COVID outbreak is "on its way to being contained", she said.
• Dr Young is concerned about the Delta variant's rapid transmission between children

In an exclusive account for the ABC, Dr Jeannette Young has detailed how close the state came to a major crisis with COVID-19 spreading in schools, and warned that future lockdowns were likely.

"Somehow, we have been able to ease some restrictions just over a week after recording the first local case of the cluster,'' she said.

"That's not to say we have not suffered during lockdown or that we are even in the clear – we still have more than 100 cases associated with the cluster."

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What are the Delta and Delta Plus COVID-19 variants?

Lockdown lifts in the south-east

On July 31, Dr Young committed south-east Queensland to an eight-day lockdown, which ended on Sunday.

Queensland COVID-19 snapshot:

• Confirmed cases so far: 1,923
• Deaths: 7
• Tests conducted: 3,641,572
• Active cases: 153

Latest information from Queensland Health.

She was responding to a COVID-19 Delta case in a schoolgirl at Indooroopilly State High School in Brisbane's western suburbs.

The outbreak affected five schools, led to 109 cases and put more than 11,000 people into 14-day quarantine. The original source of the schoolgirl's infection is still being investigated.

Dr Young described the Delta variant as "a heinous virus that has disrupted our lives and even threatened the health of our kids".

"If the original COVID-19 was a formidable foe, then the Delta variant is a stronger, super strain that requires every ounce of effort to fight,'' she said.

"As we've seen, it has attacked our children and our youth, affecting them far more than other variants.

"While young people are less likely to fall severely ill if they are infected, they are now believed to be able to transmit the virus to other people.

"This wasn't the case with earlier strains. That's what we are concerned about."

Dr Young said more than 65 of the cluster's cases were aged 19 or under.

"Had it not been for a quickly imposed lockdown and the will of Queenslanders to abide by the rules, these numbers could have spread like wildfire,'' she said.

Dr Young said the latest outcomes indicated the virus was "on its way to being contained" but "make no mistake – this cluster still concerns me''.

"To have daily case numbers in the single digits is a remarkable feat given the grip this disease can have on communities,'' she said.

She praised Queenslanders, saying the containment was partly thanks to their adherence to the rules.

"It's because of you. Your willingness to stay home, to wear a mask, to sacrifice simple pleasures like a coffee with friends, a dinner out with family, a trip to the shops,'' she said.

Thousands of businesses have been affected by the lockdown and a Queensland government support package was met with a cool reception by business owners.

'I wish there were other ways'

Dr Young said she was aware of the financial hurt.

"I am truly sympathetic to those people and those businesses and I wish there were other ways to protect people during an outbreak,'' she said.

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Is there a cure for COVID-19?

"However, there is no safe and effective way to protect the Queensland population at least until we reach herd immunity with vaccinations.

"Our Cairns family, friends and colleagues will begin a similar situation today, and we hope it's only for a few days."

Dr Young flagged more lockdowns, saying Delta had been beaten back, but not defeated.

"The best we can say is we are weathering the Delta storm and probably not the last one," she said.

"But I know Queensland will be ready."

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicWh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIxLTA4LTA5L3FsZC1jb3ZpZC1jaGllZi1oZWFsdGgtb2ZmaWNlci1qZWFubmV0dGUteW91bmctc3RhdGUtb2YtcGFuZGVtaWMvMTAwMzYwMTIy0gEoaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuYWJjLm5ldC5hdS9hcnRpY2xlLzEwMDM2MDEyMg?oc=5

2021-08-08 20:10:04Z
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