Queensland records 369 new Covid cases as Premier warns of Christmas escalation

Queensland has recorded 369 new Covid cases overnight, as chief health officer Dr John Gerrard warned people had two choices as Omicron spreads rapidly across the state. WHERE THE CASES ARE LOCATED

Queensland has recorded 369 new Covid cases in the past 24 hours, as the chief health officer warned people only had “two choices” as Omicron spreads rapidly across the state.

Today’s cases nearly doubles the 186 announced on Wednesday and takes the state's total active cases to 807.

The cases are located in the Banana Shire, Brisbane, Bundaberg, Cairns, Central Queensland, Gold Coast, Gympie, Ipswich, Logan, Maranoa, Mareeba, Moreton Bay, Noosa, Redland, Southern Downs, Sunshine Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and the Whitsundays.

There are 123 confirmed cases of Omicron.

Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said the spread of Omicron was not only inevitable, it was necessary.

He pleaded with Queenslanders to not be anxious about the expected surge in cases.

“It is important at times like this as the numbers increase that we reflect on what we are trying to do and where we are going,” Dr Gerrard told reporters.

“Not only is the spread of this virus inevitable, it is necessary.

“In order for us to go from the pandemic phase to the endemic phase, the virus has to be widespread.

“You will all have to develop immunity and there’s two ways we can do that — by being vaccinated or by being infected.

“There are only two choices.”

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will provide a Covid update this morning. Picture: Adam Head

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned it was inevitable there would be an escalation of cases over the Christmas period.

She said the alarming spike in cases would continue to match the continued significant jump in infections in NSW and Victoria.

She thanked Queenslanders for masking up as cases continued to rise. She said there was only one person in intensive care with Covid-19.

Dr Gerrard said 83.56 per cent of Queenslanders are fully vaccinated, while 90.1 per cent have had their first dose.

The CHO said health authorities were “struck” by the mildness of the Omicron strain which has so far been reported in Queensland, but the variant has also proved to be “much more contagious”.

Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard. Picture: John Gass

He said this was reflected by just one infection being seriously ill among the more than 800 cases reported since the state opened its borders last week.

“It is very clear the Omicron is becoming dominant and will be dominant henceforth,” he said.

Dr Gerrard said 163 Covid cases were being managed in homes, while 93 cases were in hospital, but only one due to being sick from the virus.

He said the roadmap remained clear, with restrictions set to ease when Queensland reached 90 per cent fully vaccinated.

Ms Palaszczuk said the state was looking to bring in rapid Covid-19 tests for interstate travellers from January 1.

The Premier is under pressure to ditch PCR test requirements for interstate travel, with Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly warning the edict was interfering with testing and tracing legitimate cases and contacts.

Ms Palaszczuk deflected calls to allow travellers to prove they are negative through rapid antigen tests amid chaos at the borders.

Instead, the Premier highlighted the low vaccine coverage at the tourist hotspots in the state’s southeast.

“The measures in place were the measures outlined in the roadmap and the roadmap stands,” she said.

“Also, I’m concerned that on the Gold Coast we do not have the high rates of vaccination that are needed in a tourist destination.

“There are thousands of people coming here from NSW and Victoria, where the virus is rampant -- they’re coming here to the Gold Coast and the Gold Coast is exposed because people are not vaccinated.”

Late on Thursday, Mater Hospital confirmd some of its staff were in home quarantine after being identified as close contacts.

“A small number of Mater staff working across our four South Brisbane hospitals have been required to home quarantine after being identified as close contacts. The increase in COVID-19 cases and close contacts across Queensland has had no impact on the safety of healthcare provided by Mater” a Mater Health spokesman said