Australia on Saturday recorded first local Covid-19 case in more than two weeks after a doctor tested positive for the coronavirus, triggering restrictions in area hospitals. Queensland state Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the unnamed doctor last week treated two patients who had recently returned to Australia and had tested positive for the UK variant. The doctor, whose name was not released, treated patients, forcing authorities into urgent contact-tracing, Palaszczuk said. The authorities have yet to determine how many people the doctor treated. Australia has reported just over 29,000 coronavirus infections and 909 Covid-19 deaths, far fewer than many developed countries, helped by international border closures, lockdowns and strict social-distancing rules.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 13, 2021 02:15 UTC