Queensland’s health minister has warned there are staff shortages and outbreaks across the state after another 14 Covid-19 deaths – 10 in aged care – were reported overnight.
Some 5977 new cases were recorded by health authorities in the past 24 hours but Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said Queensland had already reached the peak of its Omicron outbreak.
Of the new deaths, one person was in their 60s, five were in their 70s, five were in their 80s and three were in their 90s.
Ten were in aged care.
Three were not vaccinated while five were double-dosed and four had received three doses of the vaccine.
Chief health officer John Gerrard said hospitalisations had declined to 535 patients but 43 were in intensive care.
Of those, 27 people were on ventilators.
Asked about the government’s response into aged care, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said it was “not unique” seeing staff shortages and outbreaks in the centres.
It comes after a southside nursing home was placed under scrutiny where a severe Covid outbreak infected dozxjmtzywens of staff and patients and killed 10 people.
“We are seeing outbreaks and shortage of staff right across the state in aged care,” Ms D’Ath said.
“I know there are a dozen on a watchlist right now because of the outbreaks.
“All of this will be reviewed at some point in the future … whether it should be done at a national level or by individual states is an option.”
Ms D’Ath said the Commonwealth should regulate and fund the examination as they were responsible for the vaccine rollout in aged care.
On Thursday, Ms Palaszczuk declared the state’s outbreak of the Omicron variant had peaked.
The announcement came as the state recorded 5854 new cases and eight deaths – down from 6902 new cases and 24 deaths the day before.
“New modelling shows Queensland’s Omicron wave has peaked and is trending down,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
“At the height of the wave, Queensland recorded 928 hospitalisations and 71 ICU admissions – instead of the worst case scenario of 5000 hospital beds at the start of the peak, and up to 500 ICU beds.”
