Two Central Queensland Covid patients in hospital

As Central Queensland records more Covid cases, two new exposure sites have been listed and two people are in hospital. Here is the latest.

Central Queensland has recorded new Covid cases, casual contact sites and hospitalisations as the virus continues to spread across the state.

On Thursday it was revealed there had been 39 new Central Queensland cases confirmed in the past 24 hours, including 25 in Rockhampton, two in the Banana Shire and three in Gladstone.

Nine of these cases are for people with Central Queensland addresses currently located elsewhere, including interstate.

Two patients are in the Covid ward in the Rockhampton Hospital.

This brings the total number of cases for Banana Shire to three, 10 for Central Highlands, 34 for Gladstone, 24 for Livingstone and 57 for Rockhampton, according to State Government statistics.

There are 84 active cases in the CQ Health region out of 154 total cases that have been recorded.

Active quarantine notices are currently at 42.

Two new casual contact sites have been added to the State Government’s list.

One is The Strand’s main bar in Yeppoon between 12.40pm and 1.10pm on Christmas Eve, and Gladstone Backpacker on Rollo Street between 12pm and 11.59pm on December 27 and between 12.01am and 12pm on December 28.

Yeppoon business The Bungalow announced its excitement on Facebook after it became all clear to reopen and all staff returned negative results, after being forced to close for cleaning after being a casual contact site on December 26.

Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard told a press conference on Thursday morning that it was not the government’s intention to reimpose lockdowns.

Covid cases are expected to jump into the tens of thousands in the coming weeks, with some going into ICU but most experience mild symptoms.

According to Covid Live, 87.1 per cent of Rockhampton Region residents have received their second vaccine, 63.5 per cent of Isaac residents, 82.4 per cent of Gladstone residents, 74.1 per cent of Central Highlands residents, 76.6 per cent of Banana Shire residents and 81 per cent of Livingstone Shire residents, as of December 20.