Queensland says there has been a stabilisation in the number of people being diagnosed with the virus.

April 4, 2020

Queensland’s health minister has urged the state’s residents to show their appreciation for frontline workers’ handling of the coronavirus crisis.

Health Minister Steven Miles says doctors, nurses and paramedics have been working hard to protect the state from COVID-19.

“They are working tirelessly, around the clock to make sure we are all safe. They do because they are passionate about caring for us,” he said.

“(So) if you are standing behind them in the queue at a cafe, shout them their coffee. Do something nice for them.”

The plea comes as the number of people diagnosed with the virus fell for a second day on Saturday, with 27 new cases. On Friday there had been 39 new cases and 57 on Thursday.

It brings the total number of cases in Queensland to 900 since the crisis began.

Across the state, medical workers have carried out 56,000 tests for COVID-19. Four Queenslanders have died and 56 people remain in hospital. Eight are in intensive care wards, with six requiring ventilators

Mr Miles said Queensland had now flattened the curve and there was stabilisation in the number of people being diagnosed.

“Usually in an outbreak, if you did not put measures in place you would see an exponential rate of growth,” he told reporters.

“We are not seeing that … and that is very, very welcome.”

Mr Miles said the majority of new cases continued to be from Australian returning from overseas.

“We have virtually no community transmission,” he said.

He said new cases were doubling every three to four days a week ago but that has now slowed to nine to 10 days.

“Every other country in the world would love to have Australia’s health system (and) would love to have the results we are seeing,” he said.