Queensland preparing for up to 12,500 people to die during six-month coronavirus epidemic

As many as 12,500 Queenslanders will likely die during a six-month coronavirus epidemic and student nurses have been called on by the state’s largest hospital and health service.

AS MANY as 12,500 Queenslanders will die during a six-month coronavirus epidemic and student nurses have been called on by the state’s largest hospital and health service.

The worst-case scenario modelling comes as Metro North Hospital and Health Service advertised for nursing and medical students on temporary contracts to ramp up its workforce ahead of a COVID-19 patient surge.

Queensland Health is also understood to be preparing to open drive-through coronavirus testing clinics at some hospitals in anticipation of growing numbers of cases.

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Working on overseas data, the state’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said the department was preparing for up to a quarter of the population – or 1.25 million Queenslanders – to be infected during the pandemic.

She said 80 per cent of people who developed the new virus would “get a very mild disease”.

But one in five, or up to 250,000 Queenslanders, may need hospital treatment during the next six months.

People attend the The Fever clinic at Redcliffe Hospital. Photo Steve Pohlner

“Our hospitals should be used for the 20 per cent with severe disease, or critical disease. We’ll need to ventilate a reasonable number,” Dr Young said.

She predicted one per cent of those infected with COVID-19, up to 12,500 people in Queensland, would die.

“That is what we’re preparing for,” Dr Young said. “It doesn’t mean that’s what we’re going to get.

“We always prepare for what would be the most difficult outcome.”

She said most of the deaths would be in the elderly, particularly those aged in their 80s or older with chronic disease.

“That’s the group that we need to protect our hospital resources for so we can give them the care they’ll need,” Dr Young said. “I have absolute confidence that our health system will be able to manage.”

A sign at the Redcliffe Hospital’s fever clinic, set up to test for suspected coronavirus cases. Photo: Steve Pohlner.

Eight new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Queensland yesterday, the biggest number in a single day so far, taking the state’s tally to 35. None have required intensive care.

Queensland’s latest eight COVID-19 patients included the first cases outside the southeast corner, with one person diagnosed in Kingaroy and another in Rockhampton.

The Rockhampton case is understood to be a travelling salesman, who went to the local hospital after falling ill. He is a contact of a previously confirmed case.

“We’re working through all of his movements at the moment,” Dr Young said.

As the number of cases mount, Dr Young said she was convinced Queensland remained free of “sustained community transmission of the COVID-19 virus”. She repeated pleas for people to stay home if they were unwell.

She said testing for COVID-19 at this stage was being limited to people who had fallen ill within 14 days of returning from overseas and their close contacts.

People who are well, but worried about having the virus, should refrain from visiting fever clinics for testing.

“There is no point being tested if you don’t have symptoms,” Dr Young said. “It takes a lot of resources and it also means that well people are turning up mingling with unwell people and that is the last thing I want to happen. You won’t get tested.”

Dr Young said patients requiring elective surgery should be prepared for delays.

“You cannot operate on people who are sick,” she said. “If someone has the virus, they can’t be operated on. Elective surgery will not be occurring at the same rate.”

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles admitted public hospitals were already under pressure before the emergence of COVID-19.

“As we begin to see more cases of coronavirus in Queensland, our hospitals will experience even more demand,” he said.

“I’m confident our health system is prepared to meet this demand.”

Originally published as Queensland preparing for up to 12,500 people to die during six-month coronavirus epidemic