Gold Coast healthcare worker tests positive as Queensland coronavirus cases jump to 78 overnight
A Gold Coast healthcare worker is among a number of new confirmed cases of coronavirus in Queensland, with thousands of tests now being conducted.
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THE number of coronavirus cases in Queensland has jumped by 10 overnight bringing the state’s total to 78.
At least 19 fever clinics were open across the state yesterday.
A Gold Coast healthcare worker is among the latest Queenslanders to test positive to the coronavirus.
The healthcare worker based in the Robina Health Precinct tested positive to the virus over the weekend and has since been placed in isolation.
Contract tracing by health officials determined the staffer did not contract the virus at their hospital workplace.
The Public Health Unit has been in contact with people who had close contact with the infected staffer in recent days and is working to ascertain whether any of them have also contracted the virus.
It is not known which healthcare facility the staffer works at.
Queensland Health has been contacted for comment.
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Meanwhile Queensland Health has purchased an extra 110 ventilators and brought forward $25 million worth of medicines, gloves and masks.
More than 1200 tests are being conducted across Queensland each day while more than 10,000 tests in public laboratories and a similar number in the private sector have been conducted.
Health Minister Steven Miles said the state would triple emergency department capacity and would double ICU capacity.
“We are testing more people per capita than most places in the world, and will continue to do so,” he said.
“All of this preparation has successfully contained the spread of the virus in Queensland so far.”
Mr Miles said current modelling suggested that “sustained community transmission” could be next month.
He urged people to seek testing only if they met the current criteria.
“That is only seek testing if you have been overseas within 14 days, or had contact with a confirmed case and, this is important … And you have symptoms.
“A cough, sore throat, fever, headache or sneezing. We cannot test people who are not unwell.”
Health officials are expected to meet tonight, before issuing new advice to shield the elderly and others most vulnerable to the virus.
It’s expected that advice will include new isolation measures.
Originally published as Gold Coast healthcare worker tests positive as Queensland coronavirus cases jump to 78 overnight
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