January 15, 2022

The number of recent COVID-19 cases in the South Burnett and Cherbourg areas is now likely to be greater than 500.

There have now been 335 cases of COVID-19 officially confirmed in the South Burnett region since the start of the Omicron surge in Queensland.

More than 40 new cases were confirmed in the South Burnett Regional Council area between 7:00pm on Thursday and 7:00pm on Friday.

And on Saturday, Cherbourg Council estimated 165 cases have been recorded in its community.

However, health officials expect there are many more cases all over the State who have not come forward for testing.

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Darling Downs Health has reminded residents that its drive-in testing site at Kingaroy Airport is open:

  • Monday to Friday: 7:30am-1:30pm
  • Saturday and Sunday: 9:00-noon

Walk-in vaccinations will also be available this week at Murgon Town Hall:

  • Tuesday (January 18) – 1:00pm-4:30pm
  • Wednesday (January 19) – 8:00am-5:30pm
  • Thursday (January 20) – 8:00am-1:00pm

The Pfizer-only clinics will provide first, second and booster doses to everyone over the age of five years.

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In Cherbourg, Queensland Health’s official total number of cases (as at 7:00pm on Friday) was 104, although this figure does not appear to have been updated since Thursday.

On Saturday morning, Cherbourg Council said there were now about 165 cases, with 11 new cases since Friday.

Testing times at Cherbourg Hospital and vaccination times at CRAICCHS are being updated regularly on the Cherbourg Aboriginal Shire Council Facebook page

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The death toll in Queensland has now risen to 26 with three more deaths announced on Friday and six on Saturday.

Friday’s fatalities were aged in their 60s and 70s. None was vaccinated.

Saturday’s death toll included one person aged in their 20s as well as people aged in their 70s, 80s and 90s. All were vaccinated but had significant underlying health conditions.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said there were 649 people being treated for COVID in hospital, including 46 in ICU. Fourteen patients were on ventilators.

There are currently 187,037 reported active cases of COVID-19 in Queensland; 19,709 cases were announced on Saturday (down on the 23,630 reported on Friday).

Federal statistics show there are 397 active COVID-19 cases in residential aged care in Queensland; 34 people have recovered since the pandemic began and 11 have died.

Across Australia, there are an estimated 666,157 active cases, according to the Department of Health statistics.

There are 4512 people in hospital, including 383 in ICU and 118 on ventilators.

A total of 2633 people have died of COVID-19 in Australia.

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southburnett.com.au has been keeping track of some basic statistics for local Council areas since the re-opening of the State border on December 13.

These statistics, from Queensland Health, show the total number of confirmed positive cases per Local Government Area since the pandemic began in January 2020.

They are NOT the total of current ACTIVE cases but demonstrate how the virus has spread quickly throughout the local community.

We have taken snapshots on Dec 13, Dec 21 and daily since December 29.

These figures are current to 7:00pm on Friday (Jan 14):

  • South Burnett: 3 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 18 / 21 / 25 / 39 / 52 / 83 / 135 / 188 / 213 / 239 / 250 / 255 / 273 / 289 / 296 / 338
  • Cherbourg:  – / – / – / 3 / 12 / 21 / 30 / 51 / 61 / 71 / 74 / 89 / 96 / 96 / 97 / 97 / 100 / 100 / 104 / 104
  • Toowoomba: 52 / 56 / 233 / 312 / 368 / 396 / 463 / 579 / 665 / 751 / 841 / 940 / 1141 / 1315 / 1405 / 1565 / 1870 / 1971 / 2119 / 2252
  • Gympie: 7 / 6 / 23 / 26 / 38 / 43 / 48 / 68 / 82 / 104 / 144 / 169 / 222 / 243 / 270 / 304 / 355 / 393 / 425 / 478
  • North Burnett: 3 / 3 / 5 / 5 / 8 / 9 / 13 / 13 / 14 / 14 / 17 / 21 / 23 / 27 / 29 / 31 / 31 / 44 / 50 / 54
  • Somerset: 6 / 6 / 14 / 15 / 15 / 20 / 28 / 34 / 38 / 48 / 64 / 104 / 127 / 160 / 178 / 201 / 231 / 282 / 329 / 369
  • Western Downs: 3 / 3 / 16 / 18 / 23 / 30 / 36 / 48 / 52 / 60 / 89 / 114 / 140 / 203 / 216 / 248 / 301 / 357 / 401 / 412

NB. Data is reported by Queensland Health daily but can vary over time due to case reviews. When we took the first snapshots, Cherbourg LGA had not been added to the list by Qld Health as no cases had been recorded there. From December 31, data is current to 7:00pm the previous day.

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