Queensland Records 79 New Locally Acquired Cases

Queensland has recorded 79 new locally acquired cases and seven Covid related deaths overnight.

The state has recorded 79 new locally acquired cases, six interstate cases and one overseas acquired case.

This brings the total number of active cases in Queensland to 269.

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There are currently 75 people in hospital with the virus with one person in intensive care.

The new numbers came from 34,518 tests returned within the last 24 hours.

According to Chief Health Officer John Gerrard, most of the latest hospitalised cases are exhibiting only ‘minimal symptoms’.

"We have one patient who has been placed in an intensive care unit as a precaution …. she has a number of other medical conditions so that is the main reason she is in intensive care," he said.

We're seeing about two cases of Omicron diagnosed for everyone case of Delta so Omicron has become the dominant virus here in Queensland," he said.

Dr Gerrard says the new variant is causing cases to double every couple of days and is now becoming the more common variant throughout the state.

“This is a trend that's been seen in a number of countries around the world. That's a very fast rate of transmission of this new variant, the Omicron strain," he said.

As cases continue to multiply, the Queensland Government have announced changes to Quarantine arrangements.

The changes have been brought forward to 1AM tomorrow “based on advice from the chief health officer.

According to Deputy Premier Steven Miles, the changes will now mean that double vaccinated close contacts of positive cases will only be required to isolate for seven days, down from 14 days.

"Until now those close contacts have been required to quarantine for 14 days from the 22nd, we will bring down the reduction in that quarantine period from 14 to seven days," he said.

As the fully vaccinated enjoy short isolation periods in the lead up to Christmas, the unvaccinated will still be required to fulfil the entire 14-day quarantine.

"Those individuals who are unvaccinated. The quarantine period continues the same — it will be 14 days as before, that will not be reduced if you are unvaccinated. This is consistent with the national guidelines," he said.

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