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Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath has returned a negative COVID-19 test after falling ill earlier in the week.
The senior cabinet member was forced into isolation suffering virus symptoms as the Sunshine State grappled with an outbreak in Brisbane.
“It was negative,” the Health Minister tweeted on Thursday morning.
The Health Minister did not attend the daily coronavirus update on Wednesday, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk excusing her colleague.
“The Health Minister contacted me this morning to say she has a sore throat, so she has gone to get a COVID test,” Ms Palaszczuk told reporters on Wednesday.
“The Health Minister is following exactly her own advice, and I encourage everyone else, if you have any symptoms as well, to please do the same and go and get a test.”
Queensland recorded just one new locally acquired coronavirus case on Thursday, triggering health authorities to lift the Greater Brisbane lockdown at noon.
“That is good news for Queensland and Easter is good to go,” the Premier told reporters.
New restrictions will come into effect from noon on Thursday, including the enforcement of wearing masks in public until April 15.
“All Queenslanders will be required to carry a mask when they leave their home,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Chief health officer Jeannette Young applauded residents in the Sunshine State for limiting community transmission during the outbreak but warned the risk of further infections was not over.
“We have to, unfortunately, keep those restrictions that have been in place for the next 14 days because we’re not completely cleared yet,” she said.
“We think we can manage it with those restrictions and with the response that we have seen from Queenslanders, but it doesn’t mean the outbreak is over.
“It just means that I don’t believe we need the lockdown to manage this outbreak going forward, we can use those other restrictions.”
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