COVID-19: CQ update as state total rises to 94 cases
Queensland now has 94 cases of coronavirus, up from 78 yesterday.
Rockhampton
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THERE are no other confirmed cases of coronavirus for Central Queensland yet, despite the state total rising to 94, up from 78 yesterday.
This total comes after Queensland reporting another 16 cases of coronavirus this morning.
The patients consist of nine males and seven females ranging in age from 25 to 52.
Seven of these patients are being managed by the Gold Coast Public Health Unit, three are being managed by the Brisbane Metro South Public Health Unit, one is being managed by the Sunshine Coast Public Health Unit and one is being managed by the West Moreton Public Health Unit.
Patient case details of the remaining four were last night pending.
A 60-year-old man, who is from the Brisbane region, remains in isolation in Rockhampton Hospital after coming into close contact with a 56-year-old woman who was a confirmed case on March 12 after travelling to Indonesia.
A spokeswoman from Queensland Health said at 10.30am Wednesday there had been "no change in patient's condition at this time".
The spokeswoman also confirmed this morning there had been no more confirmed cases for Central Queensland.
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It is understood the man flew into Mackay last week after coming into contact with the woman and met with people before driving out to Daunia mine for a training presentation to BMA mine workers.
It is believed he then drove back to Mackay before heading to Rockhampton where he felt unwell and presented at Rockhampton Hospital, where he went into isolation on Friday.
On Monday, Mackay had its first confirmed case of COVID-19 after a 36-year-old woman was admitted to hospital.
The 7am to 8am opening hours at major supermarkets to assist seniors and disability pensioners do their essential shopping worked smoothly in Rockhampton's CBD today.
Every shopping trolley exiting City Centre Plaza early this morning appeared to contain a large pack of toilet paper among other items.
The outside car park area of the complex was about 70 per cent full as about 20 people lined up patiently before the supermarket opened to other shoppers at 8am.
They entered the store and half of those headed towards the toilet paper aisle to find a few stacks left of the item that has been the subject of panic buying and stockpiling across Australia.
The behaviour of all shoppers was orderly with no sense of anxiety following reports of fights over essential supplies in some capital cities.
This morning it was reported by The Courier Mail that Health Minister Steven Miles announced Queensland Health would expand the number of public laboratories.
Currently, samples collected throughout the state are transported to either Brisbane or Townsville.
"Queensland Health will be expanding the capability of the Pathology Queensland Laboratories at Toowoomba Hospital, Rockhampton Hospital and the Sunshine Coast University Hospital to test for COVID-19," he said.
"The additional instruments will dramatically improve turnaround time. It will allow us to do more tests faster.
"This will support us not just as we continue to respond to COVID-19 in 2020, but for the upcoming influenza season, and COVID-19 over the coming years as the globe continues to learn, diagnose and treat our community."
More than 24,000 Queenslanders have now been tested, with 30 per cent of the country's testing having been undertaken in Queensland.
According to a Queensland Health spokesperson, the time between an initial positive testing result of COVID-19 and a public declaration of a confirmed case can take between 12-48 hours.
"This is because it is critical to ensure a patient has returned a true positive result before enacting help of a public health unit or asking an individual and their close contacts to isolate," the spokesperson said.
"This may mean testing the patient more than once to avoid a false positive, or a false negative result.
"The people most at risk of having COVID-19 are those who have been to affected countries in the past 14 days, or where they have come into close contact with someone diagnosed with the virus.
"Everyone in the Rockhampton community can be assured the Central Queensland Hospital and Health Service has strategies and plans in place to ensure they are well prepared for all COVID-19 scenarios."
Across Australia, there are more than 450 cases.
See the Queensland Health website for more information.
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