Queensland has two new cases of COVID-19 as authorities engage in a balancing act, trying to let hordes of visitors into the newly reopened state while keeping COVID-19 out.
The new confirmed cases were people returning from overseas, according to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk.
This brings the number of active cases in Queensland to three.
The latest cases come as the Sunshine State opened its borders on July 10 to interstate travellers, except those from Victoria, for the first time since March 25.
It meant carloads of tourists were bumper to bumper as police scanned thousands of border passes on the Gold Coast.
Authorities are taking an educational rather than an enforcement approach at border checkpoints, Gold Coast Chief Superintendent Mark Wheeler said on Friday.
“We’re trying to balance the need to get people into Queensland, but also to keep COVID-19 out of Queensland,” he added.
But anyone travelling from Victoria must prove they left the state more than two weeks ago.
Supt Wheeler said a Victorian caravanner who had been in NSW for three weeks could use an accommodation receipt as proof.
Queensland’s airports are also teeming with interstate arrivals keen to soak up the sun and warmer weather, with another 4500 expected to touch down on the weekend.
On Friday there had been almost 314,000 downloads of the week-long border pass that is needed to enter the state.
Anyone who experiences symptoms within two weeks of their arrival in Queensland must get tested or face a $4004 fine.
Cheryl Goodenough in Brisbane
