Please attribute to Mackay HHS Executive Director of COVID-19 Julie Rampton
Mackay HHS has 110 new positive COVID-19 cases to make a total of 2403 active cases throughout the Mackay, Isaac and Whitsunday local government areas.
Of these six are in the COVID-19 Ward at Mackay Base Hospital and 51 are in Mackay Base Hospital Virtual Ward.
These figures underrepresent the amount of COVID-19 across our region as know many people are using Rapid Antigen Tests.
While there were fewer new cases notified by PCR testing in the past 24 hours, this does not mean there is less COVID-19 in our communities.
If you have tested positive to a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) please let us know by filling out this form https://www.qld.gov.au/rat-positive
In our health service we are seeing some incursion of the virus into vulnerable groups such as people who are aged and frail.
While we have not declared an outbreak at a residential aged care facility, we are monitoring case numbers very carefully at more than one facility.
Many cases continue to be spread by large social gatherings. Now is not the time to have parties or group celebrations. These social occasions must be sacrificed to keep the more vulnerable people in our community well.
While the majority of our cases are recovering at home, we are seeing more people who are experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath.
If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 feel gradually more unwell or more breathless you should call 13HEALTH (13 43 25 84). Please do not ring your local hospital for advice.
If you become very unwell, you should either present at the emergency department or call 000 ask for an ambulance.
Call 000 if you:
- are so breathless you are unable to say short sentences when resting
- suddenly find it hard to breathe or your breathing has gotten worse
- cough up blood
- feel cold and sweaty, with pale or blotchy skin
- have a rash that looks like small bruises or bleeding under the skin and doesn’t fade when you roll a glass over it
- collapse or faint
- feel agitated, confused or very drowsy
- stop urinating or are urinating much less than usual.
For case numbers by local government area see Queensland COVID-19 statistics | Health and wellbeing | Queensland Government (www.qld.gov.au)
A total of 551 COVID-19 tests were done by Mackay HHS on 9 January 2022.
