Queensland has recorded one new locally-acquired COVID-19 case as it unveils plans to slash quarantine requirements for people identified as close contacts of active cases.
The case is a Gold Coast woman who was already under investigation on Friday, with no other infections detected among 9249 tests in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Saturday.
Health Minister Yvette D'Ath says the woman lives at Mudgeeraba and likely caught the virus from a casual contact at a Bunnings store.
"This was the person that we said was a person of interest yesterday," she told reporters on Saturday.
"We have now confirmed they are a positive case and we're currently investigating to see what link this individual has, we understand that being infectious in the community for five days."
The case emerged after six local cases were recorded across the Gold Coast on Friday morning.
Ms D'Ath also announced sweeping changes to the quarantine rules for Queenslanders identified as close contacts on known cases.
From January 1, fully vaccinated household contacts won't have to quarantine but will need to get tested on day one and five, wear a mask outdoors and not visit high-risk settings like hospitals, aged care facilities and correctional facilities.
"We know there is still a risk from day eight to 14 but what we know is that risk is reduced when you are fully vaccinated," Ms D'Ath said.
Causal contacts must test immediately and isolate until they get a negative result, which will allow them to end isolation, but she says they will be encouraged to wear a mask for 14 days.
Businesses visited by active COVID-19 cases will no longer have to shut for deep cleaning from January 1 but will still need to for a normal clean.
"So if it's a restaurant, they've just found out, or cafe, they've just found out they're an exposure site, they may stay closed for lunch so that they can do a clean of the tables and chairs and a good wipe down of the facility and open up for dinner again," Ms D'Ath said.
"It doesn't need to be an expensive, lengthy deep clean anymore because we know more about Delta and we know that it's much more likely to be transmitted through aerosols, as opposed to what we call fomites touching surfaces."
The health minister defended the restrictions, which she said would be less stringent than the current 14-day isolation for close contacts.
They're modelled on South Australia's rules, she said, so they align both states which haven't had major virus outbreaks, and at this stage, are the "right mix".
