The Queensland government has downplayed a Code Yellow alert at Cairns Hospital as the number of coronavirus cases in the state rises to 41.
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The far north Queensland facility declared its first Code Yellow in more than 18 months on Wednesday amid an influx of COVID-19 cases in people from hotel quarantine who had arrived from Papua New Guinea.
Health Minister Yvette D'Ath is downplaying the risk, saying Code Yellow alerts simply allow authorities to move resources around to meet high demand.
"The declaration of a Code Yellow is not something the community needs to be alarmed about," she told parliament on Thursday.
"In the last week, a number of metro north hospitals experienced brief periods on Code Yellow. Cairns hospital was placed on code yellow yesterday amid unprecedented demand."
She said 263 people presented at Cairns Hospital's Emergency Department on Thursday, just short of the record of 280.
But Ms D'Ath added many of the patients did not actually require emergency treatement, which is an ongoing issue.
"Many of these cases can be more effectively managed in non-emergency settings," the health minister said.
"Too often we are finding that people are turning to the local emergency department for medical care that could be provided by our excellent local general practitioners."
The number of active COVID-19 cases in the state rose to 41 on Thursday, up from 37 on Wednesday. All are in hospital or hotel quarantine.
Ms D'Ath said 1993 people received their first vaccine dose from one of the state's 17 hubs in the 24 hours to 9am on Thursday, taking the total number of people jabbed in the state to 13,989.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk also announced updated restrictions on the gatherings at private homes, outdoors, at campsites and in elevators.
From 1am on Saturday, people will be allowed to host up to 100 people at private homes and 500 people outdoors.
All limits on distancing at beachfront campsites will be lifted and six people, rather than four, will be allowed to ride in lifts.
"That makes holidays in beachfront highrises a lot more enjoyable," Ms Palaszczuk told parliament.
It also makes the return to workplaces and greater numbers of workers in the CBD more likely, pumping more money into sandwich bars and coffee shops.
"This is yet more evidence of our lives and economy returning to normal," the premier said.
Australian Associated Press
