Australia Day: Darling Downs Health warns events could spread Covid further through Toowoomba

With Toowoomba’s Covid outbreak expected to peak from next week, Darling Downs Health has warned Australia Day celebrations could be Covid superspreader events.

Health authorities hold fears that Australia Day celebrations next week could become Covid superspreader events.

The warning comes after modelling from the state government revealed that during Toowoomba’s Covid peak, expected to begin from next week, more than 4000 people could be hospitalised as a result of the virus.

Darling Downs Health’s Health Emergency Operations Centre executive acting lead Michelle Forrest said while testing rates had remained high through both PCR and rapid antigen testing, it was under-representative of the true numbers of Covid within the community.

Michelle Forrest, acting executive lead of Health Emergency Operations Centre with Darling Downs Health.

As a result, gatherings for the Australia Day public holiday next week posed a risk of potentially becoming superspreader events.

“If people are getting together and not following those public health directions that have proven to keep us safe, there’s a risk,” Ms Forrest said.

“We do know there are people in the community now with Covid who are living at home and isolating, but we also know that (Covid) does spread very easily so we are encouraging people, if they are getting together, to follow those public health directions.

“We’re encouraging people to still enjoy the day but do that in a Covid-safe way.”

Ms Forrest said taking events outdoors, making sure people wore masks and social distancing were some simple steps to stop the spread of Covid.

The warning comes after another deadly day in the region with one more person dying from Covid on Wednesday.

After two more deaths earlier in the week, the total number of Covid fatalities in the Darling Downs Health region has reached six.

Ms Forrest also said there were 13 people receiving clinical care in Toowoomba Hospital with Covid, while one person was in the intensive care unit.

On Wednesday, Darling Downs Health conducted 325 PCR tests and handed out 1407 rapid antigen tests at its Baillie Henderson Hospital testing clinic, up from 329 PCR tests and 935 RATs on Tuesday.

Testing at the Baillie Henderson Hospital drive-in Covid testing site run by Darling Downs Health. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Active case numbers in the Darling Downs dipped below 300 for the first time in two days with 295 cases recorded.

With the Queensland Government reopening the borders to international arrivals, and Deputy Premier Steven Miles revealing the first 500 beds of Toowoomba’s Wellcamp quarantine facility would be used for guests in February, Ms Forrest said there would not be additional pressure put on the region’s health services.

“There’s been lots of planning put in place for the opening of the Wellcamp facility, but we’re not expecting any additional demand through our hospitals,” she said.

“There will be a health provider on site to care for anyone’s health needs, including any testing or swabbing they might need.”

“A majority of people there will be very well, and they’ll just need to do their quarantine.”

Ms Forrest urged anyone who was yet to be vaccinated to get the jab, as well as anyone eligible for their booster.

“If you’re unwell, don’t go out,” she said.

“Stay at home and get tested. On the public holiday we will have testing available at Baillie Henderson and across our rural sites as per usual.

“We will also have our Clifford Gardens vaccination site open on Wednesday,” Ms Forrest said.