Queensland’s secret Covid wave as state hits more than 900 deaths in five months

Queenslanders are being warned not to become Covid complacent, with more than 900 deaths already recorded in 2022 after just seven people died in the entire first two years of the pandemic. It comes as figures confirm the unvaccinated are 10 times more likely to die from the virus.

Covid has claimed the lives of more Queenslanders in five months than the entire Spanish flu pandemic as new data reveals unvaccinated patients are 10 times more likely to die from the virus.

Seven deaths were recorded in the first two years of the pandemic, but as of Thursday 918 Queenslanders have died since January 1 – half of which were aged care residents.

By comparison, just 264 people died in one of Queensland’s worst flu seasons in 2017 and just over 800 Queenslanders died in the entire outbreak of the 1919 Spanish flu.

Unvaccinated Queenslanders remain the most at-risk, with data revealing that due to the large population differences, they are 10 times more likely to die from Covid.

It comes as 223 of the 4.8 million vaccinated Queenslanders have died from Covid-19 compared to 235 of the unvaccinated cohort of 410,000.

During the Omicron wave in February 331 Queenslanders died in just one month and a further 207 deaths were recorded in March, which surpassed New South Wales’ March total of 198 deaths.

Infectious diseases expert Dr Paul Griffin said he worried people were becoming complacent and were beginning to underestimate the significance of the virus.

“There would be nothing to suggest that the rate is going to decline significantly in the near future unless we can escalate our strategies to intervene,” he said.

With prevention measures plateauing across the state, including stagnant vaccination rates, Dr Griffin said the numbers spoke loudly that it wasn’t time to reassure Queenslanders just yet.

“Each and every death is still very significant and the rates are not trivial. I think because there is a bit of complacency, we’re not doing enough to address that death rate,” he said.

Almost a third of all the deaths have been in the Metro South HHS which covers Brisbane’s south side, Logan, Redlands and Scenic Rim.

Meanwhile, Metro North and Gold Coast both had the next highest death rates with 155 and 153 respectively.

A photo of the existing Covid-19 ward at Mater Hospital Brisbane.

According to Queensland Health’s website, deaths include anyone who dies with Covid-19, except where the virus can easily be excluded as a contributor, for instance in a car crash.

Dr Griffin said doctors went to “great lengths” to evaluate specific medical issues in Covid-related deaths to see what role the virus played.

“Truly only deaths that wouldn’t have happened otherwise are attributed to Covid and that’s something that doctors take great care and responsibility in doing accurately,” he said.

“So the suggestion that they’re being wrongly attributed is just not the case.”

A Queensland Health spokesman said the risk of Covid-19 remains, and urged Queenslanders not to be complacent.

“Vaccination is the best protection against Covid-19. Vaccines are free, safe and effective,” he said.

Meanwhile AMA Queensland director, Dr Maria Boutlon said the best thing Queenslanders can do to reduce the figure is to remain vigilant.

“Every Covid death is a tragedy … The best thing we can all do now is to get vaccinated and keep practising social distancing, wear masks if you can’t socially distance, and keep washing your hands,” she said.