Brisbane, Queensland has been put into a three day lockdown after a hotel quarantine worker tested positive for the new highly transmittable UK COVID-19 strain.
The worker, a woman in her 20's, is believed to have been infectious since January 2, she was tested after developing symptoms on Wednesday.
She lives in the Algester area in Brisbane South.
"We know that this UK strain is highly infectious. It is 70 percent more infectious and we are going to go hard and we are going to go early to do everything we can to stop the spread of the virus," said Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszuk
"Greater Brisbane will be entering a three day lockdown. That will be Metro North Metro South, West Moreton."
The areas included in the Greater Brisbane lockdown area Brisbane, Logan, Ipswich, Moretron, and Redlands.
The restrictions mean Brisbane residents will only be allowed to leave their homes for one of four essential reasons; essential work, health or compassionate care, exercise and essential shopping.
Residents have been instructed to wear masks if they are leaving their homes, and are asked not to make non-essential trips to places such as nail salons, cinemas, gyms, and hairdressers.
Gatherings for funerals have been restricted to 20 people and weddings 10.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in a Tweet the new lockdown was a "wise call."
The news comes after the state reopened their borders to Kiwis on Thursday, meaning New Zealanders were able to enter Queensland without quarantining on arrival.
Air NZ's first quarantine-free Auckland-Brisbane flight departed on Thursday, all travelers returning to New Zealand are still required to quarantine on arrival.
