Maranoa, Paroo Covid case numbers and locations revealed as outbreak spirals

Covid case numbers across the Maranoa region have continued to climb as hospitalisations across the state continue to fall. Here’s everything you need to know:

Covid case numbers grew by 25 in the Maranoa as hospitalisations fall.

Queensland has recorded 3750 new cases and six people who have died from the virus overnight.

Three of the six were in aged care.

Chief health officer John Gerrard said of the deaths, one person was in their 50s, one in their 60s, one in their 80s and two in their 90s, one of them was unvaccinated. None of them had received a booster dose.

He said there were 40 people in the Intensive Care Unit with 20 ventilated.

There were 963 cases of school-aged children with Covid-19 in the past 24 hours. Dr Gerrard said they would be watching Covid spread in schools “very closely.”

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said modelling was showing a decline in the number of positive cases in children.

Dr Gerrard revealed the state has halved the number of patients hospitalised with Covid in just 19 days.

From up-to-date numbers and testing information to the latest State Government advice, here’s everything you need to know about the current outbreak in the region:

Case numbers

The Maranoa region currently has a total of 421 confirmed Covid cases, with 25 new cases confirmed since Wednesday.

The Paroo shire recorded one new case, with the case total now at 33.

BREAKDOWN MAP OF COVID CASES IN QUEENSLAND:

*Note – navigate to your area of interest using zoom in, zoom out or by dragging with your mouse or fingers (if on mobile). Tap the region of interest and a pop up window will appear with suburb data*

Return to school plans

With students finally returning to classrooms, its important for parents to understand what it means for them and their children.

Children won’t be required to take Covid-19 tests unless they are sick and schools will only close as a last resort during an outbreak under the plan, with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also declaring that it was also safe for people to return to work when school resumes on ­February 7.

For the first four weeks, school camps, excursions, assemblies and large gatherings will be suspended and visitation will be limited on school grounds, including with contract workers and face-to-face parent teacher meetings.

As per the Premier’s announcement, the 2022 start of the school year has been delayed until Monday 7th February. From...

Posted by Roma State College on Monday, January 17, 2022

Parents will be asked to avoid going into schools as much as possible, with the exception of parents and carers of vulnerable students and students up to Year 1.

A total 750,000 rapid antigen tests have been put aside for staff and students.

If a student develops symptoms at schools, parents will have to collect their child, take a RAT kit and administer it at home.

Meanwhile, those who become sick while at home will have priority at testing clinics to get their free at-home test.

Exposure sites

Queensland Health will only release superspreader or major outbreak venues this year due to the quickly growing number of Omicron cases.

A Darling Downs Health spokeswoman said contact tracers would from now on prioritise vulnerable residents or those who attended high-risk venues.

“Given the rapidly rising case numbers in all parts of the state, we are asking residents of the Darling Downs Health region to assume they are at risk of developing (Covid) no matter where they are, and take precautions such as wearing a mask in public and maintaining physical distance from other people,” the spokeswoman said.

“We are still urging people to check the contact tracing page and use the Check-In App when they enter venues, especially if you are considered vulnerable.”

Residents have turned to community-run Facebook groups to share potential contact venues, but these remain unconfirmed by authorities.

The State Government adopted on Friday a nationally-agreed definition of a close contact, reducing it to a household contact or someone who spent more than four hours with a positive Covid case in a house, care facility, or other accommodation.

Confirmed cases and close contacts must quarantine for seven days from the date they tested positive or were exposed to the virus, and must have a negative rapid antigen test on Day 6 to leave.

Vaccinations

Current data shows the Maranoa region is well above the state average in vaccination rates.

Queensland is now 89.6 per cent fully vaccinated and 92 per cent of residents have received one dose.

The Maranoa is 90.2 per cent double vaccinated, with 93.6 per cent having had at least one shot as of January 16.

You can find a vaccination location below:

Testing

Residents are being urged to get tested at the first sign of symptoms or potential exposure to Covid, but the rapid spread of the Omicron variant has put immense strain on testing facilities.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced last Monday that Queensland had secured 18 million rapid antigen tests, which will be provided for free from public testing sites in a bid to alleviate pressure on existing facilities.

It’s currently unclear what levels of RAT kits are available in the Maranoa region.

Currently, testing sites in the region can be found at:

• Sullivan Nicolaides Roma
• Roma Hospital
• Charleville Hospital
• St George Respiratory Clinic
• St George Hospital
• Mitchell General Hospital
• Sullivan Nicolaides Injune