Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
Health
Ciara Jones

Queensland records eight COVID-19 deaths and 5,854 new cases as hospitalisations decline

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk gave a COVID-19 update with Chief Health Officer John Gerrard. (ABC News: Lucas Hill)

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says the state has recorded eight deaths from COVID-19 and 5,854 new cases were confirmed in the latest reporting period.

Two of the eight deaths were in aged care.

The rate of hospitalisation has continued to decline with 579 people currently in hospital with the virus, 46 of whom are in intensive care.

Nearly 60 per cent of eligible Queenslanders aged 16 and over have received a booster shot.

Since January 6, more than 3 million rapid antigen tests have been distributed to Queensland hospitals and health and ambulance services.

Ms Palaszczuk said new COVID modelling indicated the state had passed its peak of hospitalisations.

"Our initial modelling, we looked at anywhere between 3,000 to 5,000 people we were expecting going into hospital and around 300 to 500 people going into ICU," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"Instead, we've had a peak of 925 in hospital and 71 in ICU. As you heard today, that is down to 579 in our hospitals and 46 in ICU.

"It means our precautions and planning have been working."

Ms Palaszczuk said the mask mandate would be reviewed at the end of February.

Large parts of Queensland passed the peak of Omicron

Ms Palaszczuk said the Gold Coast, Metro North, Metro South, Cairns, Sunshine Coast, West Moreton and Mackay regions had passed the peak of the Omicron outbreak.

Townsville, Wide Bay, the North West and Torres Strait-Cape were approaching a peak, while the Darling Downs and Central Queensland are yet to reach a peak in infections.

"We're still coming down off that peak and of course, we're going to also see a tail-end in March and of course, we'll be preparing for a flu season … in the winter months," Ms Palaszczuk said.

It is estimated 8.7 per cent of the Gold Coast population and 8.1 per cent of the Cairns population have had the virus.

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said the real number of people who tested positive on the Gold Coast could be five to 10 times what was reported after a survey found many were unaware they were infected.

Dr Gerrard said it was still "credible" to assume half of the Queensland population would be infected by the end of the month.

He said vaccinated Queenslanders had a "wall of immunity" but the effectiveness of vaccines during future COVID waves remained unclear.

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard says half of Queensland's population will have had COVID-19 by the end of the month. (AAP: Jono Searle)

Dr Gerrard said 231 children between the ages of five and 17 years had tested positive on PCR tests, down from 295 cases yesterday.

"It's very early to see any impact of schooling on the transmission of the virus among children," Dr Gerrard said.

"There was clearly quite significant transmission among children in the three weeks leading up to the opening of schools.

More than 40 per cent of children aged between five and 11 have now had one dose of a COVID vaccine. 

Pressure eases on hospital staff and paramedics

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said an additional 300 Queensland Health and ambulance staff had returned to work in the past day.

"Our number of staff that are having to isolate and quarantine across health and ambulance services have declined again overnight," she said.

"We're now at 1,830 staff, that's down from 2,148 yesterday. We hope that takes a bit of pressure off."

She said many Queensland hospitals now had just one or two wards dedicated to treating COVID patients.

"Remembering at our peak, we had nine wards dedicated at Gold Coast hospital alone just for COVID," Ms D'Ath said.

"So it's good to see a bit of relief coming for our health workers.

Data shows many older Australians haven't had their booster
Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.