Sunshine Coast Covid-19 cases: 96 new cases confirmed overnight
Queensland is bracing for a “peak” in Covid-19 cases after the Sunshine Coast recorded nearly 100 new infections overnight.
Sunshine Coast
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The Sunshine Coast has recorded 96 new Covid-19 cases, brining the total number of cases to 336 as of Christmas Day.
Out of the 336 cases in the region, 83 of them are still active and 132 have recovered from the virus.
It comes as Queensland recorded another 765 cases.
Speaking at Christmas Day’s press conference Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said it was inevitable that the virus would be spread at family gatherings and festive events such as the Boxing Day sales.
She urged Queenslanders to wear masks.
“Masks, masks, masks and I’m going to say it again wear them properly,” she said.
“ … If you are going to the Boxing Day sales, enjoy those sales … but please wear those masks and wear them properly.”
Ms D’Ath said 151 of the new cases had been confirmed as the Omicron strain after 33,971 tests were undertaken.
She said the virus was “everywhere”.
“We will get our spike, our spike is coming,” she said.
“We will get large numbers … at the moment we are getting close to 1000 cases a day, we will get 1000 cases a day and we will get more than 1000 cases a day this is what we will expect.”
It comes as six new exposure sites in Maroochydore and Noosa were listed on Thursday.
New exposure sites listed online confirm six different locations for casual contact within the Sunshine Coast and Noosa regions. See the list below:
Tuesday 14 December – Grill’d, Noosa Heads – 8.30pm – 9pm
Tuesday 14 December – Noosa Heads Surf Lifesaving Club – 6.37pm – 8.29pm
Tuesday 14 December – Miss Moneypenny’s at Noosa – 5.29pm – 6.30pm
Tuesday 14 December – Bistro C at Noosa – 4.30pm – 5.15pm
Thursday 16 December – Giddy Geisha at Maroochydore – 4.40pm – 5.30pm Casual contact
Thursday 16 December – Ann’s Nails Sunshine Plaza – 3.10pm – 3.40pm
Residents that have attended any of the venues at the relevant times must immediately travel by private transport directly home or to accommodation and quarantine.
They are required to get tested at the earliest opportunity and continue to quarantine until a negative result is received.
Giddy Geisha Owner Tony Kelly, who spoke to the Sunshine Coast Daily about the casual contact on December 14, said he was shocked to find out his venue was classed as an extremely low risk site.
“They (Queensland Health) said there was no need for us to do anything,” Mr Kelly said.
The restaurant was unlike popular Noosaville restaurant Sum Yung Guys that was forced to close for Christmas week after 25 staff members were tested for Covid-19.
The closure prompted a petition to prevent hospitality venues being shut down from Covid scares.
The petition attracted more than 11,000 signatures in 24 hours.
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