Qld cases up 61 per cent as chief health officer warns Covid to go ‘for years’

Millions of Aussies in one state are being recommended to wear masks after an alarming jump in new Covid cases.

Queenslanders are once again being recommended to wear masks in certain settings as the state battles a new Covid wave.

The fresh measure comes after the number of active number of Covid cases jumped by 61 per cent, with the chief health officer warning waves of the virus could continue “for years”.

The sunshine state recently introduced a new “traffic light” system to assess the risk level posed by Covid-19.

Queensland’s chief health officer, John Gerrard, said there was a massive 61 per cent increase in the number of reported Covid-19 cases over the past week. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Sarah Marshall

An “amber” tier was implemented on Thursday, as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk declared Queensland was entering a new wave of coronavirus.

Under the new tier, health authorities recommend people wear masks in health care settings, on public transport, indoors if they cannot socially distance, if they are older or medically at risk and if they are around people vulnerable to Covid.

People are being urged to take a RAT test every two days if someone in their home has the virus.

Chief health officer John Gerrard on Friday said there were 7130 active cases reported – up from the 4438 reported a week ago.

But he reiterated lockdowns, travel bans and border closures were not on the cards.

“The number of active cases continue to increase significantly,” Dr Gerrard told reporters.

“I don’t think this should disrupt anyone’s travel or Christmas plans.

“The only thing I would say is if you are sick at Christmas time, perhaps don’t go to celebrations with your grandmother.”

Dr Gerrard said Queensland’s current wave was expected to peak in the next three to six weeks – potentially as late as the week before Christmas.

No particular strain of the virus is prevalent in the community, but the XBB and BQ1 sub-variants are of particular note, he said.

“BQ1 is the strain growing rapidly in the United States and has spread widely across Europe,” Dr Gerrard said.

“At this stage, we’re not certain whether the wave will have the same shape as the previous waves we’ve had in Queensland or whether it will be shorter and sharper like in Singapore and other countries in the northern hemisphere, now that there is a lot more immunity in the community.

“This pattern of waves of Covid-19 will likely continue for months or even years.”

Queensland health authorities reported 5828 new cases between November 3-9, 202 people were hospitalised and 15 died in the same time period.

199 public and private hospital beds were occupied as of yesterday – a 97 per cent increase on data from a week ago.

“Most of the rise has occurred since the weekend – it’s been quite a rapid rise,” Dr Gerrard said.

Dr Gerrard revealed the average age of Queenslanders reporting positive Covid results had increased with each successive wave this year.

During the first wave in February, the average age was 33.

That number increased to 39 in April’s wave, then to 44 in the wave peaking at the end of July.

Dr Gerrard said the average age for this wave was 47.

“If you look at the top 25 per cent of cases in the first wave, they were aged over 46,” he said.

“The top 25 per cent of cases in this wave so far has been over 63.”

Dr Gerrard reiterated the need for people to get vaccinated, revealing two-thirds of people over the age of 65 who had tested positive were not up to date on their boosters.

“Queenslanders catching Covid now are older than they were at the start of the year and there is a good chance they’re not up to date on their vaccinations,” he said.

Mask wearing is back in favour in Brisbane. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Tertius Pickard

The state’s public health emergency declaration ended about a week ago, with new legislation significantly curtailing the chief health officer’s powers.

Public health directions can now only be issued if it is “reasonably necessary” to prevent a serious risk to the public health system or community or to give effect to the decisions of national cabinet or advice from advisory bodies.

Under the new rules, lockdowns and border closures cannot be ordered under the chief health officer’s directions.

Multiple states are experiencing a fresh wave of Covid cases from a mix of Omicron sub-variants – many of which are able to escape immunity.