Covid Qld: Nine deaths and 8881 new cases recorded following weekend ‘super spreader’ event

Queensland has recorded nine deaths and 8881 new Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours – the most in a single day since February 2 – marking a 15 per cent spike in the past week amid fears mount that a major GPS rowing event has become a “super spreader”.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says she will be seeking tips from her West Australian counterpart on how to boost vaccination rates for children, as fears mount that a major GPS rowing event at the weekend has become a “super spreader”.

It comes as the state experiences a spike in Covid cases, with authorities urging Queenslanders to get tested if they are experiencing symptoms.

Queensland has recorded a 15 per cent increase in the number of Covid-19 cases over the past week, with recorded 8881 new cases and nine deaths reported in the past 24 hours.

The figure is the largest number of daily cases the state has seen since February 2.

Queensland Tourism and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has also tested positive to Covid-19.

“I am following the isolation rules, will be recovering and working from home,” he wrote on social media. “Happy to be fully up-to-date with my vaccination status. Get boosted when you can.”

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said there had been an increase in the BA2 variant. She said authorities knew almost 40 per cent of eligible people who were due for boosters had not come forward yet.

Chief health officer John Gerrard said experts had always expected the virus to change.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath and Chief Health Officer John Gerrard. Pics Tara Croser.

He said BA2 as “a bit more transmissible” than BA1 and was becoming the dominant strain worldwide.

“In the last two weeks we have seen 58 per cent of the virus sequenced in Queensland identified as BA2,” he said.

He said while there had been a 15 per cent increase over the past week, there had been a doubling of cases every two to three days in January amid the Omicron wave.

Ms D’Ath joined the Premier in saying the number of children not yet vaccinated was too high and that more young people were contracting the new variant.

“The virus has not disappeared from our community,” she said.

“It’s as dangerous as it’s always been.”

Ms Palaszczuk said there had been an increase in cases among children in both the primary school and high school age ranges.

Dr Gerrard said the vaccination rate in children was lower than authorities would like.

“We can see serious complications of Covid-19 in children,” he said.

But he added there were no plans to reintroduce any restrictions amid the new strain.

“A legal restriction from the chief health officer is a very serious thing to undertake,” he said.

“I will only do that if there is an immediate threat to the safety of Queenslanders.”

He said the situation would likely “wax and wane” for a while.

“This is going to be the pattern for months, or even years,” he said.

“We are really most interested in severe disease – if you need to be hospitalised.”

Fears are rife that the elite GPS Head of the River rowing event on Saturday has become a Covid-19 “super spreader” as a number of Brisbane Grammar School’s First VIII are understood to have tested positive to the virus.

Schools that took part in the highly anticipated and well-attended day of racing at Wyaralong Dam in the Scenic Rim also included Brisbane Boys’ College (which won the title for its second year), Gregory Terrace, Churchie, The Southport School, Nudgee College and Brisbane State High.

GPS rowing, Head of the river. Saturday March 19, 2022. Picture, John Gass

Rowing afterparties are also considered high-risk zones for the virus.

Brisbane Grammar School on Monday issued a mandate for masks for all students and staff from Tuesday.

The Premier conceded Queensland’s vaccination rate for children was behind other states, as she encouraged parents to get their kids vaccinated.

She pointed to WA’s high vaccination rate, saying she wanted to seek advice from Premier Mark McGowan on what his state did to boost the jab rate for children.

“We are still lagging behind some of the other states and I think it would give parents that extra comfort about having that vaccination for their children,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I want to talk to (WA Premier Mark McGowan) about what other programs he did to really drive those vaccination rates.

“But of course it is up to people to make up their own mind.”

Queensland recorded 8,881 new Covid cases on Tuesday, with 252 people in hospital and nine patients being treated in intensive care.

Ms Palaszczuk said the Gold Coast’s vaccination rates were still sitting at less than 90 per cent.

There are now 252 people in hospital and nine in ICU, which is down from 14 yesterday.

Dr Gerrard anticipated every major Queensland hospital would have a Covid ward “for some months.

“If we can keep Covid cases to one ward per major hospital that is very manageable,” he said.

“When we start to get two or three wards... that’s when things start to get difficult.”

The chief health officer said it was up to schools to decide whether to introduce a mask mandate based on individual circumstances.

He said there were “active discussions” about mandates every day.

Double dose vaccination rates in Queensland have also now reached 91.49 per cent.

Ms D’Ath said the restriction on elective surgery had been lifted in March and would be staggered in its return, but she acknowledged it would “take some time” to catch up.

She said there were no intentions to suspend elective surgery again.