Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk provides update on coronavirus

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has revealed no new cases of coronavirus have been recorded overnight while also announcing a domestic violence summit to combat a spike in brutal attacks.

QUEENSLAND Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has revealed the state has recorded no new cases of coronavirus overnight while also announcing a domestic violence summit to combat a spike in brutal attacks.

It means there have now been 1043 cases in Queensland, of which 52 are active cases

There have been over 120,000 tests since the outbreak earlier this year, including about 2,400 more in the past 24 hours.

Premier Palaszczuk said it was good news, and that her Government was now focused on jobs.

She said the Government would be holding meetings tomorrow with tourism operators and the hospitality industry.

“A lot of work continues behind the scenes of making sure that we have our roadmap in place for the recovery,” she said.

“Of course that is front and centre. We need to get people back to work. We need to get people back into jobs.”

QLD Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with the latest coronavirus update. For rolling coverage watch Sky News Australia on Foxtel or visit www.skynews.com.au.

Posted by Courier Mail on Tuesday, 5 May 2020

Health Minister Steven Miles said nine patients were in hospital, including several who were in intensive care.

“We were really pleased to see a rebound in the testing rate,” he said.

“In the last more than 24 hour period, we had 2457 Queenslanders tested for COVID-19.

“It’s results like today’s, no further COVID-19 cases, that will allow Queensland to continue to ease those restrictions.”

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the ongoing low case rate helped the state continue to ease restrictions.

“If everyone continues down this path, we will be able to lift restrictions,” said Ms Young.

Meanwhile, the premier said a domestic violence summit would be held due to an alarming spike in the number of domestic violence victims facing attacks while in isolation.

The incidence and severity of domestic violence attacks had grown exponentially during the lockdown with hospitals reporting more and more victims seeking treatment for serious injuries.

Service providers are reportedly ‘very concerned’ women are not making the choice to leave violent situations and feared going to shelters and refuges because of possible coronavirus exposure.

Mr Miles said he was disturbed that the reduction in sporting and road injuries in emergency departments had been partially offset by victims of family and domestic violence.

“That’s terribly disturbing for people affected and for our hospital staff,” he said.

“So anything we can do to address this increase in domestic and family violence during the pandemic is welcomed.”

Minister for the Prevention of Family and Domestic Violence, Di Farmer, said service providers had reported a “dramatic increase” in the severity and brutality of attacks.

“If you are a victim, you are probably now at home 24 hours a day with a perpetrator who is watching your every move,” she said.

“So your ability to call for help, your ability to escape has become severely limited.”

This morning’s briefing comes after five new cases of coronavirus were recorded in Queensland on Tuesday as the state continues to flatten the curve.

Among the five cases, there were three from interstate that will be added to Queensland’s tally, as well as one from the Gold Coast and another in Brisbane who contracted the virus through their household.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has flagged cheap airfares to encourage the return of domestic tourism, possibly as early as the June school holidays.