Australia’s Queensland state premier says Brisbane lockdown to end


SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australia’s Queensland state, a tourist hotspot, reported 1 new coronavirus case of community transmission on Thursday linked to an existing cluster, enabling it to end its three-day snap lockdown in Brisbane.

More than two million residents of Australia’s third-largest city had been asked this week to stay home as authorities tried to contain two distinct virus clusters, now comprising 18 cases.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said high testing rates over the past 24 hours was a key factor in allowing health authorities to lift the lockdown in Greater Brisbane though masks were still mandatory in public places.