Queenslanders are braced for another COVID-19 spike, with health authorities predicting case numbers will continue to escalate until the first week of February.
The state recorded 20,566 new cases on Tuesday, up from 9581 the day before.
But Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said Queenslanders should not be concerned about the sudden leap.
READ MORE: Djokovic's Open hopes in limbo amid Border Force investigation
"There is nothing mystical or magical about that," he said.
"It is just a virus and in this case we have an effective vaccine."
Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said the number of infections was likely much higher than the case numbers reflected.
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"We do suspect that is an underreporting of people who have not had a PCR test or have not registered their RAT test," Ms D'Ath said.
Dr Gerrard said the number of Queenslanders in hospital was relatively low due to the high uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Now in Queensland we have well over 100,000 people who are infected and we have just 27 people in intensive care units at the moment," he said.
"The vaccine is working, it's preventing people from getting seriously ill."
Nonetheless, the health system is feeling the pressure, with reports staff are being asked to cut short their annual leave and return to work.
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January 12, 2022 at 12:37AM
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Queenslanders are braced for another COVID-19 spike, with health authorities predicting case numbers will continue to escalate until the first week of February.
The state recorded 20,566 new cases on Tuesday, up from 9581 the day before.
But Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said Queenslanders should not be concerned about the sudden leap.
READ MORE: Djokovic's Open hopes in limbo amid Border Force investigation
"There is nothing mystical or magical about that," he said.
"It is just a virus and in this case we have an effective vaccine."
Queensland Health Minister Yvette D'Ath said the number of infections was likely much higher than the case numbers reflected.
READ MORE: Pod of killer whales appears to help stuck humpback
"We do suspect that is an underreporting of people who have not had a PCR test or have not registered their RAT test," Ms D'Ath said.
Dr Gerrard said the number of Queenslanders in hospital was relatively low due to the high uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine.
"Now in Queensland we have well over 100,000 people who are infected and we have just 27 people in intensive care units at the moment," he said.
"The vaccine is working, it's preventing people from getting seriously ill."
Nonetheless, the health system is feeling the pressure, with reports staff are being asked to cut short their annual leave and return to work.
