Queensland has recorded 3660 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, and 13 deaths.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The number of cases fell 2317 from the previous 24 period, when more than 5900 new cases were reported, and 14 deaths.
Queensland Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said a "technical error" meant the number of cases may not be accurate for the most recent reporting period but it would likely be fixed over the coming 24 hours.
He added that the state's hospitals were performing better than the government's predictions, an achievement he attributed to vaccination.
"We were predicting at least three to five thousand admissions to hospitals across Queensland," he said.
"In the end there were less than a thousand."
"This (variant of the) virus is at least as virulent as the original virus we saw in Italy and New York," he said.
"Were it not for vaccination the situation would have been catastrophic."
The state is currently managing more than 33,000 active cases of the virus, with 538 people in hospital, and 49 in ICUs.
Of those who died, three were in their 50s and 60s, eight were in their 70s and 80s and two in their 90s.
Six people were unvaccinated against COVID-19, two had had one dose, four had received two doses and four had received boosters.
Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick said the state's vaccination rates were progressing and 92.31 per cent of eligible people over 16 have received one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, 90.2 per cent have received two shots and 61.2 per cent have received a booster dose.
Some 655 school children tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, up slightly from the previous 24 hours, when 633 school-aged children tested positive.
Despite a data issue in registering PCR tests, Dr Gerrard said many positive results in school children had been registered through rapid antigen tests.
Australian Associated Press
