Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles has raised hopes that restrictions to stymie the spread of COVID-19 may soon be eased as the Sunshine State averaged just 11 cases per day for the past week.
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Only nine new cases were recorded overnight, taking the total for the past week to 77 and 974 overall, of which more than a third have recovered. There are 28 patients in hospital, including 12 in intensive care.
"When I spoke to you last Saturday, it was 274 (for the week), the Saturday before that it had peaked at 380," Mr Miles said.
"We have seen, in just two weeks, a very dramatic decline in the weekly average."
Mr Miles said social distancing and non-essential travel restrictions had saved lives, heavily reduced the number of new infections and reduced the pressure on hospitals.
The Queensland government is likely to review the measures by the end of the month, including those relating to non-attendance at schools, he said.
"We did 2149 tests overnight, considering that number of positive is just nine, that is a positive testing rate of just 0.42 over the last 24 hours, incredibly low by global standards," he said.
"That is because of our social distancing efforts, they are working. We need to keep them up.
"We said we would review the restrictions on leaving one's home after a month and they will probably be the first to be considered as well as the restrictions on schools which, the intention is as I understand, is to make an announcement later this week," he said.
He said the government had also given more powers to pharmacists to provide up to a month's supply of emergency medication to people unable to gain a prescription.
The changes would also allow pharmacists to administer a COVID-19 vaccine if, and when, it becomes available although that does not appear likely until the second half of 2021.
"We do hope that vaccine is not too far away, however, even 12 months would be considered a very ambitious time frame. Eighteen months is probably more reasonable," he said.
Despite restrictions on non-essential travel, police have issued 462 fines (of $1334 each) that have raised $616,308 in revenue for the state government.
Australian Associated Press