Queensland novel coronavirus (COVID-19) update

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19 April 2020

Queensland has five new confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), which includes the death of the 83-year-old man from Metro North announced yesterday, raising the state total to 1019.

HHS*Active casesRecovered casesDeathsTotal confirmed
cases to date
Cairns and Hinterland528033
Central Queensland2608
Central West0000
Darling Downs1525242
Gold Coast521370189
Mackay411015
Metro North772353315
Metro South761670243
North West0000
South West0000
Sunshine Coast1375189
Torres and Cape0000
Townsville519024
West Moreton1126037
Wide Bay159024
Overseas0000
Total27573861019**

* HHS level case data may include a patient’s residential address, Public Health Unit managing or location where test was ordered.

** Changes may occur in the number of notifications reported from day to day. This is due to ongoing maintenance and update of notification details as new information becomes available, or where discrepancies are detected through data quality assurance activities.

Contact tracing is underway for the five new cases. Queensland Health will notify the community if any other public health alerts are required.

The majority of cases are from patients who have travelled overseas, or have had direct contact with a confirmed case who had travelled overseas.

The number of confirmed cases we see each day is expected to vary as we continue to respond to the COVID-19 situation across the state.

We want everyone to know they can play their part to protect themselves and the more vulnerable in our community. Please follow the recommended advice from us and our federal counterparts in regards to social distancing, public gatherings and general wellbeing.

Critically, make sure you are practising good hygiene and staying home, especially if you’re sick. Washing your hands properly and often is the gold standard of health advice that can help prevent viruses from entering your body.

A person will generally be tested if they have a fever (or history of fever) or acute respiratory symptoms, and, in the last 14 days:

  • they were a close contact or a household contact of a confirmed case
  • they had been overseas, including on a cruise.

Testing may also be done for people who have a fever (or history of fever) or acute respiratory symptoms, AND:

  • work in vulnerable settings such as healthcare, aged or residential care, military, a school or child care, correction facilities, detention centres, police and boarding schools.
  • live in Brisbane, Gold Coast or Cairns
  • live in or travelled from a COVID-19 hotspot
  • live in or travelled from another state
  • live in a First Nations community.

Queensland Health is urging anyone who meets this criteria for testing, to contact a doctor immediately.

Before your appointment, please call ahead and advise of your symptoms and recent travel they can prepare for your visit.

The most up-to-date reliable information is available on the Queensland Health website at www.health.qld.gov.au/coronavirus

ENDS