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Queensland records 17,445 new Covid-19 cases, three deaths as Omicron peak nears

Angie RaphaelNCA NewsWire
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Camera IconNot Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia

Queensland has recorded 17,445 new Covid cases and three more deaths overnight, with hospital numbers on the rise.

One of the deaths was a person aged in their 60s, while another was in their 80s and the third was aged 103.

Two of them had received a single dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, while one was fully vaccinated.

“All of these individuals had significant (underlying) medical conditions,” chief health officer John Gerrard told reporters on Sunday.

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“I use this opportunity to remind everybody of the importance of boosted vaccination.”

Dr Gerrard said Covid-related deaths in Queensland had so far been “almost exclusively” people with “significant medical problems”.

“There have been relatively few surprises in the sort of person that has died from this illness so far,” he said.

“Most of the deaths we are seeing are relatively predictable demographically.”

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Camera IconPeople are urged to get tested and vaccinated. NCA NewsWire/Dan Peled Credit: News Corp Australia

There are now 670 patients in hospital, including 49 in intensive care with 16 of them on a ventilator.

“They’re slight increases on the last figures reported,” Deputy Premier Steven Miles said.

Dr Gerrard said the greatest pressure remained on the Gold Coast and in Brisbane, south of the river.

“But cases are in hospital right across the state,” he said.

There are now 2643 health staff who have tested positive for Covid-19 and 2835 health staff in quarantine.

Modelling suggested private and public hospitals together should be able to absorb the load of cases in the coming weeks, Dr Gerrard said.

The chief health officer warned people who had significant chest pain, were coughing up blood, fainting or had difficulty breathing should call an ambulance.

People with milder symptoms, such as a fever or headache, should begin to improve after two or three days, he added.

Queensland has a double dose vaccination rate of 88.6 per cent.

Mr Miles said it was hoped the state would reach 90 per cent this week.

“I would say to all of those who are unvaccinated, if you want to go to the pub, go get vaccinated,” he said.

Originally published as Queensland records 17,445 new Covid-19 cases, three deaths as Omicron peak nears

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