Karlie Brady

Journalist

Queensland will declare Sydney’s eastern suburb of Waverley a COVID-19 hotspot.

From 1:00am Saturday 19 June, anyone arriving in Queensland who has been in the Waverly local government area within the past 14 days must go into hotel quarantine.

Non-Queensland residents will need an exemption to enter Queensland.

It comes as restrictions are reintroduced in Sydney after new community transmitted cases of COVID-19 was recorded, bringing the Waverly outbreak to five.

The area includes beachside tourist hotspots Bondi, Bronte and Clovelly.

“Anyone who’s been there, unless they are a returning Queensland resident or seeking an exemption, won’t be able to come into Queensland,” said Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young.

Anyone returning before 1:00am will only have to quarantine if they have visited one of the exposure sites.

Dr Young said the declaration comes after NSW Health believed the two most recent transmissions were highly contagious, likely picked up through a “fleeting contact”.

“They’re saying they believe it was fleeting contact, which is why we need to do this.

“It is really important than anyone in Queensland reconsiders their need, at this point in time, to travel to anywhere in Sydney.”

“We know that these cases, that have been found in Sydney, have travelled widely through Sydney.

“There hasn’t been any other transmission events outside of that Waverley local government area so at this point, the restrictions for travel into Queensland are only if you have been to any of those sites that have been notified by New South Wales Health, or if you’ve been in the Waverly local government area.”

Greater Melbourne also remains a hotspot for at least the next seven days.

Meanwhile all travellers to Queensland from any state or territory must complete a Queensland Travel Declaration before entering the state.