Queensland Close To Peak As State Records 15,050 New Cases

Queensland has recorded 15,050 new Covid infections over the past 24 hours and another 10 Covid deaths.

There are currently 884 people hospitalised with the virus, 52 people in intensive care and another 18 people on ventilators.

Of the latest Covid related deaths, one person was unvaccinated, six were fully vaccinated and three had received their booster shots.

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One person is believed to have been in their 40’s, one person was in their 50’s, six people were in their 80’s and two others were in their 90’s.

This brings the total number of active cases to 250,000 but Chief Health Officer John Gerrard believes the number is likely much higher.

"It's almost certainly greater than a million — we don't know the true number because not everybody is getting tested — either because their symptoms are mild, they don't recognise the symptoms, they don't seek to get tested or they can't get access to a test," he said.

According to Dr Gerrard, following NSW reaching their peak this week, Queensland may not be far behind.

"We're about two weeks behind NSW — it could be as early as sometime this week that the pandemic could peak at the Gold Coast; metropolitan Brisbane could be a few days or a week behind that," he said.

Dr Gerrard added that not all of Queensland will reach the peak at the same time with the Gold Coast predicted to hit first, followed by Brisbane.

A second peak has also not yet been ruled out.

"We will always plan for the worst and hope for the best, so it is conceivable that there might be another wave in the wintertime as the weather becomes cooler," he said.

"There may or may not — but we don't know that — we are certainly planning for that in Queensland Health, even though it may not happen."

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