World News | Asia Today: Australian State Eases Virus Closure of Border
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. An Australian state government said on Friday it will open the state border to the national capital after the government was criticised for refusing to allow a Canberra resident to attend her father's funeral because of pandemic restrictions.
Brisbane, Sep 18 (AP) An Australian state government said on Friday it will open the state border to the national capital after the government was criticised for refusing to allow a Canberra resident to attend her father's funeral because of pandemic restrictions.
Health Minister Steven Miles said Canberra travellers would no longer have to spend time in Queensland hotel quarantine from September 25.
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The government was widely criticised for refusing to allow Sarah Caisip, 26, out of hotel quarantine to attend her father's funeral in the state capital Brisbane on Thursday last week.
She had wanted to visit her father's death bed but he had died two days before Queensland gave her a permit to cross the border.
Canberra is in the Australian Capital Territory which has not recorded a new case of COVID-19 since July 9.
Queensland has 27 active cases.
Canberra residents will have to fly rather than drive to Queensland because Canberra is surrounded by New South Wales state which remains subject to border restrictions.
New South Wales reported six new coronavirus cases on Friday.
Canberra is 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) from Brisbane.(AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)