COVID Case In Cherbourg

December 29, 2021

Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that a positive case of COVID-19 has been identified in the Cherbourg community.

The person is in isolation and no further information is available at this stage.

Free COVID-19 tests are available for residents at Cherbourg Hospital until 4:00pm on Wednesday.

This is the first confirmed case in the Cherbourg community since the pandemic began in January 2020.

A Council post on social media advised Cherbourg residents to start wearing masks and limit movement within the community.

The Cherbourg Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) moved to the “Stand Up” level of activation on Tuesday in anticipation of the virus being detected in the community.

As at December 19, 63.5 per cent of the Cherbourg population had received one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 52.8 per cent having received two doses. However, the Federal Department of Health noted these statistics should be treated with caution.

UPDATE:

Cherbourg Council says 22 close contacts have been identified (10 adults and 12 children); three of the adults and four of the children are from Cherbourg.

“Queensland Health will contact you if you test positive. If you do test positive you will be required to isolate at home – any serious cases may be removed from community to isolate and recover,” a Council spokesperson said.

Council has urged Cherbourg residents to stock up on food and medical supplies in case they need to isolate.

They have also pleaded with residents to hold NO parties or large gatherings, even on New Year’s Eve.

“Get tested, get vaccinated. Please, no unnecessary travel. Discourage visitors. Wear your mask. Wash hands. Social distance,” the spokesperson said.

The Cherbourg LDMG will now meet daily to co-ordinate the response to this event.

Cherbourg residents are urged to monitor the Cherbourg Council Facebook page and website; and Cherbourg Radio.

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Queensland Health announced 1589 new cases of COVID-19 in the State on Wednesday, taking the current tally of active cases to 6368; 93 of these active cases are in hospital but none are in intensive care.

There are currently 77 active cases in the Darling Downs Health region, and 151 in the Wide Bay Health region.

Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said the fact no one was in intensive care “clearly indicated” the vaccines were working, but he encouraged everyone – especially people in the older age group – to receive their third shot as soon as they became eligible.

He said 80 per cent of the State’s active COVID-19 cases were the more contagious Omicron variant, and he warned the number of cases would rise very rapidly over the next few weeks.

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In other changes announced on Wednesday, interstate travellers entering Queensland will no longer have to return a negative PCR test before arrival.

The need to get this test has been overwhelming testing facilities interstate.

From January 1, rapid antigen tests will be accepted.

Dr Gerrard said negative results would be accepted on rapid antigen tests conducted 72 hours before entering Queensland to obtain a border pass.

Testing requirements for travellers will be scrapped once Queensland hits 90 per cent vaccination rate, which is expected in January.

The compulsory five-day follow-up PCR test for interstate travellers was scrapped on Tuesday.