Queensland Covid case numbers: One new case sparks panic

An unvaccinated Gold Coast Uber driver has tested positive to Covid-19 – bringing an end Queensland’s 15-day run of coronavirus-free days. 

The Broadbeach man in his 30s was infectious in the community for up to 10 days, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said. He tested positive at Robina Hospital on the Gold Coast on Wednesday and was unvaccinated.

He is so sick with the virus it has been difficult to get information on his movements, it was revealed. 

‘This is a wake-up call for the Gold Coast,’ Ms Palaszczuk said. ‘The issue about this gentleman is that [he was] not vaccinated.’  

‘We are a little bit concerned about this person that has been infectious in the community and if you have any symptoms whatsoever, now is the time to get vaccinated.’

The new case immediately raised fears of a repeat of Sydney’s most recent Delta outbreak, which began with an infected limousine driver from the northern beaches.  

An unvaccinated Gold Coast Uber driver has tested positive to Covid-19 – bringing an end Queensland ‘s weeks-long run of coronavirus-free days

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the man in his 30s, who lives alone at a resort complex in Broadbeach, had recently returned from Melbourne on October 10. 

He developed symptoms the following day and presented to the Robina Hospital emergency department yesterday, where two separate tests confirmed he was positive. 

‘He is so sick. This is a man in his 30s. He is so sick that we are having difficulties talking to him and getting information from him,’ Dr Young said. 

‘We are working very closely with Uber to get information about whether he has had any drives during the time he was infectious. 

‘We don’t have venues at this stage because he is so sick and having difficulty communicating with us and difficulty remembering, as you can imagine.’

The new case ends a run of 15 days in which Queensland has not had any community acquired cases of Covid-19 

Dr Young said the man had not used Queensland’s QR check-in system since September 17, making it difficult to trace his movements.   

She urged anyone who had been in the Broadbeach or greater Gold Coast areas since October 11 to monitor for Covid symptoms. 

‘It is really important, please use the QR check-in,’ she said.  

The infected man was later transferred to the Gold Coast University Hospital.   

Ms Palaszczuk said there were currently 156,000 people on the Gold Coast, 16 and over, who remained unvaccinated. 

She was speaking in Mackay as part of a week-long tour to encourage vaccination rates in regional Queensland, where rates have been lagging.

The premier announced 73.21 per cent of the state had now received a first dose, while 58.07 per cent are fully vaccinated. 

Ms Palaszczuk identified a number of towns where she said vaccination rates were too low given the state’s deadline of a phased reopening by November 19 and a full reopening on December 17.

She mentioned Bowen at 48.4 per cent having received a first dose of vaccine, Moranbah at 46.5 per cent, Serena at 61 per cent and the Whitsundays at 63 per cent as places where rates were too low. 

Four cases were also identified in hotel quarantine.