Queensland Records 1,589 New Covid Cases

Queensland has recorded 1,589 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announces stop on PCR tests for interstate travellers.

There are currently no new cases of Covid in ICU with numbers coming from the 35,000 tests returned yesterday.

There are more than 900 people recovering from the Covid virus from home.

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The new numbers come after Premier Anastacia Palaszczuk today announced a change to testing requirements.

Interstate travellers who cross into Queensland will no longer be required to return a negative PCR test before arriving.

The Premier noted in a Twitter post that a rapid antigen test will be accepted in place of a PCR test from January 1.

The decision comes after other state governments claimed Queensland’s strict testing regulations which require travellers to return a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to entering the state, are putting too much pressure on already strained testing systems.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said Queensland’s PCR requirements had been putting unnecessary strain on the NSW testing system which was “proving very, very difficult for our residents".

The five day testing rule has also recently been scrapped after Queensland Health Minister Yvette D’Ath yesterday making the announcement.

The decision was made after data reflected that only 0.6 percent of people tested on day five were returning positive tests.

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