Vigilantes in some outback towns have reportedly slashed the tires of the vehicles of those fleeing COVID-19 hotspots in big cities, Australian Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management David Littleproud said yesterday.
Remote areas in Queensland state were being inundated with travelers — mostly retirees — trying to escape the coronavirus, Littleproud said, urging calm.
“As the borders are being shut, we are seeing a surge of gray nomads from southern states, and also from southeast Queensland, go to southwest Queensland to hide from the coronavirus,” he told Seven News. “Unfortunately, this action could turn caravans into the cruise ships of the outback if someone is infected and spreads it in small communities.”
Easter is normally prime season for tourism in west Queensland, as retired travelers visit the outback and remote areas of the state.
Visitors’ vehicles had their tires slashed in some small towns as panicked residents feared their health systems could struggle to cope with the pandemic, Littleproud said.
“I understand the concern of these people in these communities,” he said.
The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Australia yesterday passed 3,000, with the vast majority of infections in major east coast cities such as Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne.
Officials have repeatedly urged people to avoid traveling.
“This is not holiday break season,” Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. “This is the season to stay at home with your family.”
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