Queensland has recorded 10,332 new COVID-19 cases and one virus death in the state’s biggest daily surge in infections.
The new cases emerged after 34,832 tests in the 24 hours to 6.30am on Thursday, taking the total number of active cases to 42,250.
Twelve people are in intensive care, including two on ventilators, while 284 patients are being treated with the virus in hospital.
Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said hospitals were heading towards an “emergency”.
“We are very good at stepping up to an emergency, which is what we are about to see,” he said.
“So we are going to be stepping up to a very major emergency in the coming two or three weeks.”
The surge in new cases, which follows the 6871 reported on Wednesday, comes as testing capacity is being pushed to the brink and authorities warn many undetected infections are likely to be circulating in the state.
The unexpected closure of private PCR testing hubs due to staffing issues related to virus cases and close contact isolation rules, and a slow down in analysis speed due to the high demand is weighing on capacity.
About 12 million free rapid antigen tests are being distributed to close contacts of known cases and six million point-of-care tests are being distributed to testing clinics from Thursday.
Authorities say 17,000 cases are in home quarantine while more still are self-isolating as close contacts of known cases.
There are also 89 active COVID-19 outbreaks in private aged care facilities in Queensland with 25 involving COVID-positive residents, according to the federal Department of Health.
High infection rates and quarantine rules are causing staffing shortages in hospitals, residential aged and disability care facilities, prisons and the police force.
Many hotels and resorts have also had to close or partially shut down due to a lack of staff, while many other private sector businesses are struggling to fill shifts.
