1622 cases: Ipswich Covid-19 numbers swell as people wait six hours for tests

As Covid-19 cases continue to soar desperate Ipswich residents were lined up at one testing site as early as 4.30am, with the clinic forced to turn people away by just 7.30am.

Hundreds of people have spent the morning queuing at Covid-19 testing sites across Ipswich as the virus continues to spread rapidly, with some so desperate they arrived before sunrise.

Three women, who asked not to be named, said they arrived at Ipswich Hospital Fever Clinic on Court Street about 7.30am Wednesday — each symptomatic and close contacts of people who had tested positive for Covid-19.

It was about this time staff reportedly began telling members of the line they were at capacity and would not accept any more walk-ins, despite the clinic not opening until an hour later at 8.30am.

Some 200 people were said to be in line at the time.

People at the front of Ipswich Hospital Fever Clinic's testing line at 11.40am Wednesday had been waiting for nearly six hours. Picture: Jessica Baker

By 11.40am, the people at the front of the testing line had been waiting nearly six hours for a test.

Some members of the line had arrived as early as 4.30am.

Despite the hours-long wait, staff could not guarantee anyone, let alone all people, in the line would be tested on Wednesday.

“We had to take the day off work (to line up),” a woman at the back of the line said.

“There’s still a chance we won’t be tested.”

Those waiting in line said staff could not confirm whether they would be seen that day or would have to come back the next. Picture: Jessica Baker

If the woman is not able to be tested, she will have to take another day off work tomorrow and spend her day lining up for a test once again.

It comes as Ipswich recorded 377 cases overnight, taking the region’s total number of cases to 1622.

Of these, 75 cases were acquired locally from known contacts while 33 were acquired locally from an unknown source.

Some people waiting in line at Court St had to be brought food from family members as they waited in line for hours on end. Picture: Jessica Baker

Thirty-two cases were acquired overseas and two were acquired interstate, while 1480 cases remain under investigation.

There were 555 vaccines administered at the Ipswich CBD Community Based Vaccination Clinic on Tuesday, taking the total number of vaccines administered in Ipswich (through Queensland Health) to 109,958.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk pictured addressing the media at One William Street regarding the latest on the Covid-19 outbreak. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Josh Woning

Queensland recorded 6781 cases in the past 24 hours, taking the total number of active cases to 32,312.

However Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said the real number of cases would significantly higher.

He said the number of hospitalisations had risen to 265 with 10 people in the ICU, two on ventilators.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also announced 18 million rapid antigen tests would be distributed to the state’s testing clinics from Thursday.

“We need to make it very, very simple to our most vulnerable people at this time,” she said.

She said new testing clinics would also be opening at Ashgrove, Boondall, Edens Landing, Cleveland and Wilston.