‘Virus hunting unboosted’: Qld’s deadliest day with 16 Covid-19 deaths, 16k new cases

Queensland has recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic with 16 more people dying and nearly 16,000 new cases confirmed as authorities warn the virus is hunting down the elderly who have not had a booster shot. It comes as hospital visitor restrictions are introduced.

Queensland has recorded 16 Covid-19 deaths overnight on the state’s worst day of the entire pandemic.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath also said 15,962 new cases of Covid-19 were recorded in the past 24 hours. There was also a jump in hospital admissions, with more than 800 now in wards for Covid-related illnesses.

There are new restrictions on the number of people who can visit hospital wards. Just two people will be allowed per ward and only one person - aside from the patient - will be allowed in emergency departments.

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath with Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard in Brisbane on Monday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / John Gass

Ms D’Ath again urged people to get vaccinated as soon as possible and to make boosters a priority for loved ones in aged care.

“If you have had Covid there is no reason to delay coming forward for a vaccination … as long as you have recovered from your symptoms,” she said.

Three of the people who died were in their 70s, eight in their 80s, four in their 90s and one person who was older than 100.

Ten people were double-vaccinated, two had one dose of vaccine and four were not vaccinated. None of them had had a booster.

Nine were in residential aged care.

“The virus does seem to be finding people who haven’t had that third dose,” chief health officer John Gerrard said.

Dr Gerrard said there had now been 45 deaths in Queensland since December when Omicron started to surge.

He said 22 people had died in hospitals, 17 in aged care, five at home and one was still under investigation.

He cautioned against reading “too much into” the substantial increase in hospitalisations.

“We’re heading towards our peak,” he said.

A total of 819 people are now in Queensland hospitals with Covid-19, with 50 in ICU, 18 of them ventilated.

Ms D’Ath said people with family members in aged care should be asking when they can receive their booster.

She said the visitor restrictions at hospitals was to ease pressures on emergency departments.

The Minister said so many hospitals had negative pressure rooms set up - but there would never be enough to cater for all the Covid patients Queensland is currently experiencing.

Visitor restrictions will again be enforced at Queensland hospitals, except in maternity and palliative care situations. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled

“We have to remember now that every single person walking into EDs now ... could end up showing positive while they’re in the hospital system” she said.

“We’re not putting a complete ban on visitors … but we are limiting it.”

Restrictions do no apply to areas such as palliative care and maternity.

Ms D’Ath took aim at federal government ads which say there are free rapid antigen tests at some clinics when Queensland was yet to receive most of its supply.

She slammed it as being political ahead of an election.

“Scott Morrison should be apologising when he knows that supply isn’t available right now,” she said.

The state government yesterday urged anyone eligible to get their Covid booster to make it a priority as seven more Covid-19 deaths were recorded in the state.

Dr Gerrard said unvaccinated people were 24 times more likely to be admitted to an intensive care unit than someone who was triple-vaccinated.

“I am still very concerned that there are vulnerable people, elderly people who have not received their third dose of vaccine,” he said.

Queensland yesterday recorded 15,122 new active cases on Monday.

New South Wales and Victoria have today recorded 58 new Covid-related deaths, with nearly 50,000 new cases.

Originally published as ‘Virus hunting unboosted’: Qld’s deadliest day with 16 Covid-19 deaths, 16k new cases