August 17, 2022

More than 100,500 First Nations residents in Queensland have now been infected with COVID-19 since the pandemic began.

Statistics released by Queensland Health on Tuesday show the number of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander people who have been infected now stands at 100,506.

On August 1, this figure was 94,901 and on July 1, 80,224.

The number of First Nations deaths from COVID-19 has not been released.

The total death toll in the Darling Downs Health Region – which includes all the South Burnett – has now risen to 122; 85 of these deaths have occurred since June 1.

Before the Queensland borders reopened on December 13 last year – and authorities decided it was time to “live with the virus” – the death toll for the Darling Downs Health Region stood at just two.

But in some good news, the number of people being treated for COVID-19 in Queensland hospitals continues to drop.

On Tuesday, there were 439 COVID-19 hospital patients, including 19 in intensive care.

On August 1, this figure was 815 with 28 patients in ICU.

Queensland’s death toll now stands at 1791; on August 1, this figure was 1590 and on July 1, 1254.

All but seven of these deaths have occurred since December 13.

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The “Vax Bus” is returning to the South Burnett.

It will be delivering COVID-19 Pfizer vaccines for children and adults; Novavax vaccines for adults; and influenza vaccines for everyone aged over five.

No bookings are necessary, but attendees should bring along some form of identification.

The bus will be at:

  • Cherbourg – 9:30am-4:00pm, Wednesday, August 31
  • Kingaroy – 9:00am-noon, Thursday, September 1
  • Murgon – 12:30pm-4:00pm, Thursday, September 1
  • Wondai – 9:00am-noon, Friday, September 2
  • Nanango – 12:30pm-4:00pm, Friday, September 2

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As at August 17, a total of 62,899,159 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered across Australia.

A total of 20,186,066 people aged 16 and over have received one dose; and 19,839,349 have received two or more doses (out of a total Australian population of 20,619,959 aged 16 or over).

In Queensland, 3,888,589 people aged 16 and over have received one dose; and 3,823,896 have received two or more doses (out of a total Queensland population of 4,112,707 aged 16 or over).

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) closely reviews all deaths reported in the days and weeks after COVID-19 vaccination.

As at August 11, the TGA had 13 reports where the cause of death was linked to vaccination from 922 reports received and reviewed since the start of the vaccine rollout.

All deaths linked to vaccination as a likely cause occurred after the first dose of Vaxzevria (AstraZeneca).

As previously reported, eight were associated with thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) cases, two were linked to Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS),  two related to very rare conditions involving the nervous system, and one was a case of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP).

The 13 deaths likely to be related to vaccination occurred in people aged 34-81 years old.

There have been no deaths in children, adolescents or younger adults determined to be linked to COVID-19 vaccination.