31 Qld Covid deaths, as Health Minister hints when latest wave will be over

Another 31 Covid-related deaths have been recorded in Queensland, as the federal Health Minister drops a big hint about when the latest wave could be over.

Queensland has reported 5585 new Covid cases and another 31 Covid-related deaths, with the state on the cusp of reaching the 93 per cent double vaccination mark.

Despite a significant increase in reported fatalities, Queensland’s overall case numbers have declined since yesterday, with total active cases dropping from 49,059 to 45,097.

There are currently 745 Queenslanders in hospital with the virus, 25 of those requiring intensive care.

The percentage of Queenslanders who are now double vaccinated has reached 92.9 per cent, while 94.4 per cent of people have received their first jab.

Australian Minister for Health and Aged Care Mark Butler. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler is cautiously optimistic the peak of Australia’s third Omicron wave has passed but insists he’s not ready to call it yet.

A downturn in Australia’s seven-day rolling average suggests the country could be nearing peak Covid infections sooner than expected.

“We are not calling it yet, there is what we have seen through the pandemic, something of a school holiday effect where transmission appears to dip off,“ Mr Butler told Nine.

“It does seem cases are dropping off in some states, and hospital numbers have dropped off in the last couple of weeks, (but) they're still very large.”

National cabinet met virtually on Thursday morning for a briefing on the virus by chief medical officer Paul Kelly.