Queensland has recorded its highest number of daily deaths of the pandemic, with 39 COVID-19 fatalities reported today.
However, Health Minister Yvette D’Ath emphasised the deaths have not all occurred in the past 24 hours, when 5665 new cases were recorded.
“[These are] deaths that we’re reporting as opposed to deaths that have occurred in the last 24 hours,” she said.
“Some of these deaths go back to the 17th of January.”
Queensland Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard also said there had not been a sudden spike in deaths.
“Most of these deaths occurred several weeks ago,” he said.
There are currently 382 people in the state’s public hospitals with the virus, down from 484 on Monday. The number of people in private hospitals has also dropped.
