Qld Health tight-lipped on ICU predictions as it secured more than 600 beds ahead of Covid peak

The State Government is refusing to disclose whether ICU patients are among those being relocated to private hospitals to free up beds ahead of an expected surge in Covid cases.

More than 600 beds have been secured in private hospitals to ease pressure on the public system but Queensland Health is refusing to say whether ICU patients will be among those moved to make way for increasing Covid cases.

As authorities brace for the Sunshine State’s expected peak in two weeks time, 23,630 new cases were recorded on Friday while three unvaccinated people – two aged in their 70s and one in their 60s – died.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath revealed Queensland Health had begun moving public patients into the private system after securing 637 beds.

But Queensland Health refused to tell The Courier-Mail how many ICU beds had been reserved and whether it was only Covid-19 positive patients who would use them.

It instead pointed to Friday’s press conference where Ms D’Ath said the additional beds were creating capacity in public hospitals “which they are very grateful for as we move towards a greater surge”.

It comes as chief health officer John Gerrard said it was concerning some Covid cases had died at home.

Queensland chief health officer Dr. John Gerrard said investigations were ongoing into the death of Covid-positive residents at home rather than hospitals. NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

While some patients have died in hospitals and in aged care facilities during the current Omicron wave, several have passed away at home which Dr Gerrard said were investigated.

“It does concern us when there are deaths at home,” he said.

“We’re seeing reports of people having an illness for a short period and then sudden deaths.

“That’s been reported elsewhere in Australia and around the world where its myocarditis.”

Myocarditis is a heart condition.

There are now 589 people being treated in hospital across the state which includes 41 patients in ICU.

Fifteen of those require ventilation.

As of 1am Saturday morning, anyone entering Queensland no longer needs to show a border pass or a negative rapid antigen test result as the state marches towards 90 per cent double dose.

Queensland’s border stops will be rolled back from Saturday morning. Picture Glenn Hampson

Dr Gerrard suggested the peak of the Omicron wave would be reached once the number of hospitalisations started to stabilise, but when that would happen ‘is the question on everyone’s lips’.

However he said Queensland was about two weeks behind NSW case levels, where he believes is reaching its peak.

“We are going to see steady growth until we reach a peak sometime in the next two weeks but because it is a decentralised state we are going to get peaks at different times in different regions,” he said.

“So presumably, and this is a bit speculative, Gold Coast, which was the first region to seem to get its growth, will reach its peak earlier than other parts of Queensland … that’s what one would expect.

“The most useful things to look at will be hospitalisation rates rather than the number of cases.”

The CHO said hospitalisations on the Gold Coast had been relatively steady in the past few days but it was too early to speculate on whether this meant the peak was being reached.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said every Queenslander has had the opportunity to get the vaccine with almost 92 per cent of eligible people having now received their first dose while 88.5 per cent were fully vaccinated.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk warned every resident had been given the opportunity to be vaccinated. Pictures: NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

Ms D’Ath revealed GPs, primary health networks and aged care facilities were asking the state government for PPE and rapid antigen tests.

“Now it’s the Commonwealth who are supposed to be supporting that and providing that stock and they told me this week they were,” she said.

“We’ll help where we can, we always have, but we just can’t be diverting our supplies to primary care when the Commonwealth says they’ve got a stockpile for that very reason.”

Ms Palaszczuk would not say if any thought had been given for a support package for small businesses impacted by the virus which is forcing many staff to isolate.

She said closures were individual decisions that businesses were making based on their staff levels.

Meanwhile the Premier said Deputy Premier Steven Miles would provide an update on the government’s Wellcamp quarantine facility next week.

She said unvaccinated travellers would use it but could not say how many guests authorities were expecting in the weeks following its opening.

The Premier said authorities didn’t know what variant was “around the corner”.

“We have a quarantine facility that is absolutely going to be prepared for Queensland if we need it and when we need it into the future,” she said.

It comes after the government remained tight-lipped earlier this week around when the Toowoomba facility would officially open this month.

Police and health authorities are currently finalising their preparations.