A surging Covid caseload continues to pressure Queensland’s gridlocked testing system, with some people waiting in lines for most of their day.
Queensland’s daily Covid cases have accelerated to a new high of 6781 as frustrations boil over testing queue blowouts.
Wednesday’s figures come as residents in the state’s metro south east region report waiting up to nine hours for a PCR test, while others have been turned away from testing sites before 7am as the system buckles under surging demand.
Wednesday’s daily case tally is a near 20 per cent leap on the previous record of 5699 on Tuesday.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said a number of new testing sites were being brought online in Brisbane through to Friday – including at Ashgrove, Boondall, Edens Landing, and Cleveland – though these would only be open until lunchtime.
The Premier also said she would be urging national cabinet to make in-demand rapid antigen tests available to pensioners for free.
“This is a pandemic. We need to make it as easy and simple for everybody out there. So that‘s the position I’ll be taking international cabinet,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
There are now more than 32,300 active Covid cases in Queensland, a figure that chief health officer Dr John Gerrard expects to climb into “the hundreds of thousands” by the end of January.
He said the true number of Covid infections were likely much higher, given a number of people were testing at home.
Covid hospitalisations rose from 170 to 265 people in the 24 hours to 7pm last night, with ten people in intensive care.
Two people remain on ventilators.
Fully vaccinated young people with mild flu symptoms have been asked to assume they have Covid, and to stay home instead of heading out for a PCR test.
More to come
Originally published as Qld Covid: Daily cases surge to record 6781 as hospitalisations leap, testing queues blow out
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