Queensland Enters Fourth Covid Wave

Queensland has entered into its fourth Covid wave with the Queensland premier urging Queenslanders to begin using their masks again.

Chief Health Officer John Gerrard has moved the state’s Covid traffic light scale from green to amber as Covid case numbers increase at a rapid rate.

The increase is largely due to the spread of new Covid variants such as the XBB and BQ1 strain, with the BQ1 variant also spreading rapidly through Europe and the US.

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According to premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, case numbers have almost doubled over the past week from 3,919 cases last week to 6, 199 this week.

The number of Covid patients in hospital has also increased from 105 last Thursday to 203 today.

The peak of the latest wave is predicted to hit just before Christmas at around December to December 19.

Dr Gerrard said that it is unlikely there will be extra mandates implemented prior to Christmas.

"It would have to be something absolutely exceptional," he said.

Queensland’s Public Health Emergency Declaration expired last month which means the Chief Health Officer will be unable to order mass lockdowns or border closures but will have the power to order renewed mask mandates and isolation for positive cases.

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