Mackay Covid: Peak predicted in coming weeks as health authorities prepare for surge

As MHHS records its first two deaths linked to Covid, contingency plans are ready to be activated to meet the expected surge in case numbers. Read when it is expected.

The region’s health authorities are bracing for Covid to peak across Mackay as students return to the classroom.

Just two weeks after Mackay Hospital and Health Service recorded its first two deaths linked to the potentially deadly virus, contingency plans and measures were ready to be activated to meet the expected surge in case numbers.

Two people, one in their 70s and one in their 80s, died from Covid-related complications. Both had pre-existing comorbidities, MHHS chief medical officer Dr David Farlow said.

“The best way to describe it is around the state there are three hot spots but Covid is everywhere,” Dr Farlow said.

“Knowing the peaking will vary at each site, modelling for us has indicated the second week of February but knowing that can change, and the thing that can influence that change is going back to school.”

Covid outbreaks were this week declared at seven residential aged care homes across the health district.

With another 257 cases recorded yesterday, taking the region’s total active cases to 1321, Dr Farlow reiterated the unwavering message that vaccination remained the best preventive measure against Covid.

Of the active cases, 10 were being treated in hospital and 42 being cared for through the Mackay Base Hospital’s virtual ward.

He said there had been increased admissions to the Mackay Base Hospital’s Covid ward, with the scope to open a second to manage the peak in cases.

“Right now we’re confident we have the capacity and capability to manage the peak,” he said.

“We have put in place a reallocation process, of course we have staff exposed and away so in terms of utilising existing staff, it’s a day by day, week by week process.

“This is across our eight facilities. With the reallocation process, we’re very mindful of our rural facilities.”

Dr Farlow warned Covid’s peak would not be the end of the pandemic, but rather a further adjustment to the virus existing with a lower degree of extreme health impacts as people became more immune to its effects.

“We are still in a pandemic,” he said.

“Nothing changes in what we do. Continue to vaccinate, take the precautions of the government and chief health officer and, as the peak gets down to another level, you will see a policy change accordingly.

“The loud and clear message is vaccinate, vaccinate, vaccinate.”

Wednesday

The Mackay Hospital and Health Service has recorded a second death related to Covid.

The death was recorded in the 24 hours to 7am Wednesday, and is among the nine deaths across Queensland.

The Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region recorded 286 new cases bringing the total number of active cases 1291.

Mackay has recorded 6998 total cases with Mackay Base Hospital treating 10 patients in hospital and monitoring 53 positive cases through its virtual ward.

Outbreaks have been recorded at 10 aged care homes across the region with MHHS reminding people of visiting restrictions at residential aged care facilities.

It comes as the state recorded 13,551 new Covid cases as health authorities expect the virus to peak in the next seven days.

Tuesday

Mackay has recorded 151 new positive Covid-19 cases in the past 24 hours with 1816 total active cases across the district.

Mackay Hospital and Health Service confirmed of the 151 cases, 11 were in hospital and 62 were in the virtual ward.

This comes after a day after reports on Monday MHHS had recorded its first death related to Covid with an elderly person dying in hospital.

The patient in their 80s had an underlying condition before contracting the virus and dying in hospital.

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard on Tuesday said there had been 11 deaths across the state in the past day with four aged in their 90s, three in their 80s, two in their 70s and one each in their 60s and 50s.

Four of those who died were unvaccinated, six had received their double dose and one a single dose.

“Pretty well the whole world is seeing the wave of Omicron almost simultaneously,” Dr Gerrard said, as he revealed what was expected to happen over coming months.

Mackay Hospital and Health Service has recorded it first Covid-related death. Picture: Tony Martin

Numbers were expected to rise until the end of January/early February as the states reached it peaks in different waves, Dr Gerrard said, before steadily falling the next month.

“What happens at the end of that second month, that will be a time to regroup … when we get to the end of that second month sometime at the end of February or early March,” Dr Gerrard said.

The Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday regions reported 199 new positive cases on Monday, bringing the total number of active cases in the regions to 1912 in the past seven days.

Mackay Base Hospital has 13 active cases in its Covid ward and 61 in its virtual ward.

The intensive care patient’s condition stabilised and has been moved back to the Covid ward.

Mackay Hospital and Health Services executive director of Covid-19 Julie Rampton said outbreaks have been declared across 10 different aged care facilities in Mackay.

Mackay Hospital and Health Services executive director of Covid-19 Julie Rampton. Picture: Melanie Whiting

Queensland Health recorded 10,212 new cases across the state on Monday, with 50 in intensive care.

The state recorded 13 deaths in total, with four aged in their 70s, six others in their 80s and two in their 90s.

Outbreaks have been declared across ten different aged care facilities in Mackay.

Of the deaths, three were unvaccinated, one had a single dose, and nine had received both doses of vaccine.

None had received a booster shot.

Chief health officer Dr John Gerrard said 40 per cent of the 50 people in intensive care were unvaccinated.

“So far the impact of the epidemic is less than we expected, but I’m trying to be cautious here because we still haven’t reached the peak in Brisbane,” he said.

“But the peak is not the end, the peak is the high point.”

Originally published as Mackay Covid: Peak predicted in coming weeks as health authorities prepare for surge