Now with 175 confirmed cases, the city saw its first positive patient on January 29, after a Chinese visitor, 44, from Wuhan was rushed from his Broadbeach hotel to the Gold Coast University Hospital.

Since, 921 have been diagnosed in Queensland, four have died, eight are in intensive care and 54,440 have been tested for the virus.

Despite unprecedented restrictions on society including now closing the state border, Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young said this was only the beginning.

FIRST AUSTRALIAN DOCTOR TO TREAT COVID-19 A GOLD COAST LOCAL

Health officials are now bracing for a pandemic peak in July, August or September.

“We are not really at the start of it in Queensland, we are just getting those small numbers each day,” Dr Young said yesterday. “It has been up and down so we are really containing it in Queensland, at this stage.

“That is our aim, to contain it as long as we possibly can but eventually we won’t be able to contain it - and then we will start to see that increase.”

“If we continue that with all of our strategies in place, we believe that will delay the pandemic spreading through Queensland – and when the peak happens.”

Dr Young assured Queenslanders there were many advantages to being a decentralised state.

“That’s often a disadvantage but in this case, it’s very, very much an advantage, which means that we won’t see the peak of the impact of this virus across the whole state at the same time,” she said.

She was echoed by State Disaster Co-ordinator Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski: “Things are not necessarily going to get any easier, and our community may well expect we have to do more stricter controls as time goes on.

“It will take a long time to get over this.”

There were no new cases confirmed for Tweed yesterday, which has a total of 12.

WHY THE ARMY GUARDS ARE OUT THE FRONT OF GOLD COAST HOTEL

WHAT WE KNOW SO FAR

Locally cases have seen a steady climb, the biggest jump so far has been 17 cases in a 24-hour period on April 2nd.

Since March 1, the Gold Coast’s case growth has been an average bump of around 4.7 new cases a day.

Inside medical sources who are cautiously optimistic have said all but three of the cases have been traced back to international arrivals. Authorities have acknowledged the small local transmission ‘clusters’.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “We’re not even on the curve yet” but added extensive modelling and preparations were taking place.

Ms Palaszczuk said how bad the crisis became in Queensland would depend on community transmission of the virus.

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Ms Palaszczuk said “one positive” was that Queensland “hopefully” wouldn’t experience an onslaught of flu cases because of the strict social distancing measures.

The Queensland Government Friday also confirmed that a number of health care workers statewide had contracted the virus, but within community settings.

MEET THE FIRST GOLD COAST LOCAL TO RECOVER FROM CORONAVIRUS

Police Commissioner Katarina Carroll said since the beginning of the outbreak 45,000 self-quarantine notices had been served statewide and 2490 compliance visitations had taken place.

In the past week there have been 14 penalty infringement notices issued, 11 of those had been issued overnight Thursday.

“These have been issued in circumstances where people have blatantly disregarded the warnings and the community messaging,” Com Carroll said.

There were 399 complaints made to police on the issue of social distancing.

HEALTH WORKERS PREPARE FOR 27,000 TO NEED HOSPITAL CARE

TIMELINE OF CASES

January 29: The Gold Coast sees its first positive patient after a Chinese visitor, 44, from Wuhan is rushed from his Broadbeach hotel to the Gold Coast University Hospital.

January 30: The Gold Coast’s second confirmed case, a Chinese woman, 42, who had been travelling with the city’s first patient in the Wuhan tour group also tested positive.

Within a week, five members group, including an eight year-old boy had the virus, another four were isolated within the hospital. They are all released in good health on February 25th.

February 29 - It is at least a month until the Gold Coast records its sixth official case of the virus. The beautician 63 year old Khadijeh “Roya” Oveisi was diagnosed after returning from Iran.

What she thought was a cold soon developed, prompting her hospitalisation and the closure of the Australia Fair salon in which she worked.

Ms Oveisi recovered and was released from hospital two weeks later, it is understood none of her clients or colleagues contracted the virus.

March 11 - A 32 year old woman and her housemate, a 31 year old man tested positive.

The woman, believed to be a flight attendant had recently returned from America.

March 12 - Hollywood star Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson announce they have contracted the virus.

Mr Hanks had been shooting a Baz Luhrmann biopic on the Coast at the time, prompting the temporary closure of the set. It is understood no other cast or crew members were effected.

March 13 - Two fever clinics are now open on the Gold Coast, one in Robina and one at the GCUH treating and testing upwards of 200 patients a day for coronavirus.

March 14 - Another couple in their thirties are diagnosed and are treated at the GCUH.

March 15 - A group of six, including an eight year old girl were diagnosed.

March 16 - The local tally climbs daily, only those in close contact with known cases are notified of who has been infected. All Saints Anglican School, an independent college of over 1500 students moves online due to concerns regarding the virus. It is the first school in the city to shut up shop.

March 20 - A staff member at the YMCA Helensvale Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) service, tests positive for COVID-19, the service shuts. Helensvale State School where the OSHC is located, remains open.

March 22- The Gold Coast hinterland records its first case of the coronavirus. The Tamborine Mountain resident was diagnosed locally after returning to Australia from a trip to Europe.

March 25th - Borders on the Gold coast to NSW are closed to all except essential travel and freight. Elective surgery has also been cancelled, effecting more than 4700 locals on the waiting list.

March 26th - The Gold Coast Primary Health Network begins to establish temporary respiratory clinics across the city. doctors predict a 25 per cent infection rate of the local population within the next six months.

April 1st - A worker at a Gold Coast massage parlour is the first person fined for allegedly failing to comply with the strict new measures put in place by the State Government to stop the spread of coronavirus. The Mermaid Beach worker was issued a fine of $1334.

April 2nd - The Gold coast records its most significant jump in cases, with a total of 17 new patients confirmed locally in a 24 hour period.

The Gold coast total at the time sat at 165, the state total was 835.

GOLD COAST NURSES SPAT ON, THREATENED WITH VIOLENCE

LOCAL FLIGHTS SUBJECT TO CONTACT TRACING

QF864 Qantas Sydney Gold Coast 26-Mar-20

VA733 Virgin Australia Melbourne Gold Coast 24-Mar-20

JQ408 Jetstar Sydney Gold Coast 23-Mar-20

VA523 Virgin Australia Sydney Gold Coast 21-Mar-20

QF536Qantas Sydney Gold Coast 20-Mar-20

JQ420 JetstarSydney Gold Coast 20-Mar-20

TT604 Tiger Airlines Sydney Gold Coast 19-Mar-20

VA543 Virgin Australia Sydney Gold Coast 19-Mar-20

VA733 Virgin Australia Melbourne Gold Coast 19-Mar-20

JQ408 JetstarSydney Gold Coast 19-Mar-20

VA535 Virgin Australia Sydney Gold Coast 19-Mar-20