PA Hospital accepting only critical patients as lockdown decision looms

Queensland contact tracing efforts have expanded wider across the state’s south-east corner as authorities closed the the Princess Alexandra Hospital — the facility at the centre of a three-day greater Brisbane lockdown — for all but critical patients and hinted at extended restrictions.

The capital was declared a Commonwealth hotspot on Tuesday afternoon, after six new cases of community transmission were reported as part of two distinct clusters — with two more cases under investigation — and more than 80 potential exposure sites.

The stay-at-home orders, in place until 5pm on Thursday, are set to be reviewed on Wednesday afternoon just 10 days after Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the rollout of a new digital check…