Number of Townsville COVID-19 cases double in 24hrs

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 has doubled in 24 hours, with Queensland Health confirming there are now 11 cases.

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 has doubled in 24 hours.

Queensland Health confirmed there were 11 cases of the contagious virus which has locked down many counties worldwide.

The third case was however a Brisbane man who has his address listed in Townsville.

The Townsville Bulletin understands confirmed COVID-19 cases remain people who have returned from overseas or who are direct contacts of those who were infected.

Fifty new cases were recorded across the state today, with most coming from the southeast corner. Contact tracing is underway for the 50 new cases.

Doctors and North Queensland politicians have called for the State Government to urgently shut the region’s borders to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

In an unprecedented tri-partisan agreement, federal politicians from Rockhampton up to Cairns, including Herbert LNP Phillip Thompson and Katter’s Australian Party patriarch Bob Katter, have called on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to shut North Queensland’s borders.

Their call for a shutdown comes after a group of Townsville’s leading doctors warned stricter border control measures from the southeast into the north was needed, because the region will not have the medical capacity to cater for a widespread outbreak of COVID-19.

Yesterday there were six confirmed cases in Townsville, including the Brisbane man.

Townsville’s first case was Ann Roberts School of Dance production manager Andre Reynaud, who is in isolation in New Zealand.

Senator Susan McDonald was Townsville’s second confirmed case, and has since been cleared by Queensland Health.

A woman who had disembarked from the Ovation of the Seas cruise ship was another confirmed case.

Originally published as Number of Townsville COVID-19 cases double in 24hrs