Meeting over COVID cases in NSW, Qld

The state’s Emergency Management Committee is expected to meet later this afternoon to discuss the evolving situation in NSW and Queensland, after a doctor and a hotel security guard tested positive for COVID-19.

The meeting was prompted by confirmation that a Queensland doctor had contracted the virus while treating a patient at the Princess Alexandra Hospital.

The state has recorded six new cases in hotel quarantine in the past 24 hours, but no cases of community transmission have been recorded.

A Sydney hotel security guard has also tested positive for the UK strain of the virus, with NSW authorities now working to track down the guard’s close contacts and Victoria considering whether stricter border controls with the state should be implemented.

During a press conference this morning, Premier Mark McGowan confirmed he would be meeting with Health Minister Roger Cook, chief health officer Andrew Robertson and Police commissioner Chris Dawson later today to discuss what steps, if any, Western Australia should take to protect the state.

With no community transmission having been recorded, Mr McGowan said the chief health officer had indicated that there wasn’t a requirement to do anything more at this stage, but that could change.

“If there is community spread in Queensland and NSW, obviously that’s a very different situation,” he said.

“If there was, then we may have to take far tougher measures.”

Today marks the first day that all Australian jurisdictions have been open since the hard border controls came into effect more than 12 months ago.

Extending the state of emergency is expected to be the first item on the state government’s agenda.

More to come.