Coronavirus Gold Coast: 12 new cases confirmed

Health authorities have announced a shock hike in the number of coronavirus cases on the Gold Coast, with 12 more people testing positive.

A FURTHER 12 coronavirus cases have been confirmed on the Gold Coast as the state total reaches 144 – the state’s biggest jump yet.

Across Queensland as a whole a further 50 cases have been confirmed.

The extra 12 cases today come on top of seven new cases reported on the Gold Coast yesterday.

Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Janette Young said the Gold Coast is the only region to have confirmed community transmissions.

“Brisbane and the Gold Coast are the main centres, and we are starting to see some early evidence of some community transmission in the Gold Coast – which we have always expected of course because that is where the first cases were and they have had a number of clusters,” she said.

Many of the patients are being treated at Gold Coast University Hospital. Picture: AFP.

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An estimated 7000 Queenslanders are now returning home each day, all of which are required to quarantine for 14 days.

“The group of people I want to see come forward and get tested are those people who have returned from overseas in the last 14 days and become unwell with a fever of 37.5 degrees celsius or above, or any respiratory symptoms,” Dr Young said.

Those who have been in contact with a confirmed case or healthcare and aged care workers that are feeling unwell have also been called on to be tested.

“We want to know every single case,” Dr Young said.

“The reason being, mild cases can still transmit the infection, so we are testing everyone.

“The fact is we have 50 cases, this means people are coming forward being picked up by GPs and means we can isolate them from other people.

“We have had children and know children can get infected but it is very mild.

“It tends to be adults giving it to children, not children giving it to adults which is totally different from the flu which is why we haven't recommended the closure of the schools just yet.”

The state has only recorded one death to date, while most patients have reported mild symptoms.