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Queenslanders warned to stay home after cases soar, man in his 30s dies

As Covid cases surge and a young man becomes the state’s first virus casualty in nearly nine months the Premier has issued this warning for those who haven’t received their booster jab.

Gold Coast man in 30s with 'probable' COVID-19 dies suddenly

Queenslanders have been urged to “think seriously” about where they’re going as Covid-19 runs rampant through the community and a man in his 30s died suddenly in his home.

Chief health officer John Gerrard said the death on the Gold Coast was likely caused by the virus which he described as “very unusual”, while a man in his 80s was relying on oxygen through a ventilator and the number of infections in intensive care rose from one on Saturday to 10 on Monday.

The man in his 30s had been exposed to the virus, tested positive through a rapid antigen test and was awaiting a PCR result when he died at home, providing another grim reality of the “serious consequences” of the virus, Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

“Over the last two years Queensland has been spared much of this pandemic but this is a highly infectious strain and I want Queenslanders to think really carefully over the next month about where they go, especially if they haven’t had their booster,” the premier said.

A man in his 30s died in his home. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard
A man in his 30s died in his home. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

Queensland posted another record 4249 cases as the Premier warned infections would continue soaring towards a peak in late January or early February.

“If you are elderly and you haven’t had your booster, please think seriously about where you are going,” she said. “Think very carefully about your family, your friends, your interactions.

“Limit the number of large gatherings you will be attending because during this time … we really want to minimise the impact this pandemic is going to have on Queenslanders.”

Dr Gerrard appeared visibly shocked by the death and stressed “further investigation” was needed as the health response and the processes leading up to the death would be examined.

“All I would say very strongly is that it’s very, very unusual for a young man to die suddenly from Covid-19,” he said, which would become the first Queensland death caused by the virus in nearly nine months.

“The vast, vast majority of people with Covid-19, particularly young people, have mild illness, particularly if they are vaccinated.”

The top doctor insisted “all of us are going to be exposed in the next few weeks”, while a new infection was recorded on Palm Island and the outbreak at the Aboriginal Shire of Cherbourg surged to 90 cases.

One of the two infections from that Indigenous community transported to the Toowoomba Hospital was in intensive care.

Extra medical and testing resources were being provided to Palm Island, off the coast of Townsville, as Dr Gerrard warned the highly contagious nature of the Omicron variant meant the virus would likely spread quickly through the vulnerable community.

Dr Gerrard said the man’s death was ‘very unusual’. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard
Dr Gerrard said the man’s death was ‘very unusual’. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The Premier said she was willing to discuss providing housing solutions to Cherbourg where overcrowding in homes made isolation difficult.

But she stressed vaccine hesitancy remained the greatest concern, particularly in Cherbourg where the jab coverage was under 60 per cent.

“Unfortunately, there has been some negative social media posts going around that have had a negative impact on some of our Indigenous communities,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“I am now urging people in those Indigenous communities to ignore those social media posts and immediately go and get your vaccination.”


The state government has ordered 18 million rapid antigen tests as the soaring infection rate continued to strain screening capacity across the state and chemists report widespread stock shortages.

Of the incoming supply, Ms Palaszczuk said 12 million were at-home rapid tests to be provided free of charge from public testing sites for close contacts and those ordered to be tested under a public health direction.

The Prime Minister has repeatedly said the cost of the rapid tests was up to the individual but the Premier said she would ask leaders at national cabinet this week if concessions for those on healthcare cards and pensions were available.

“It’s really important the most vulnerable members of our community do not have a price impost to go and get a rapid antigen test,” she said.

Dr Gerrard said health authorities would increase testing capacity on the Gold Coast in the coming days where resources particularly strained.

Most state-run screening facilities were also expected to resume operation today following the Christmas-New Year holiday period.

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Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/coronavirus/queenslanders-warned-to-stay-home-after-cases-soar-man-in-his-30s-dies/news-story/ecd28b0e627c1ff3bae4134a43dd9b10