Covid’s double whammy

Hospitalisations at 300 as wave persists

Hundreds of Queenslanders are in hospital with Covid-19 as the wave that began in October has unexpectedly persisted, with a double whammy of two subvariants crossing paths.

The wave was initially driven by XBB.1.5 but since early December the JN.1 subvariant has emerged and is now becoming dominant.

Previous waves have peaked at six weeks but the current wave is still going strong after 12 weeks.

Infectious disease experts believe Queenslanders are not being given enough information from the government about case numbers to protect themselves from the rising dangers of debilitating long Covid.

Chief health officer John Gerrard said there were still about 300 patients in Queensland hospitals with Covid-19, which was the equivalent of filling a mid-sized hospital.

As of January 1, a total of 1823 Queenslanders were diagnosed.

“Covid-19 hospitalisations started climbing in mid-October, initially driven by the XBB.1.5 subvariant,” he said.

“Since early December, the

JN.1 subvariant has emerged and is now becoming dominant in Queensland.

“While previous Covid-19 waves have peaked at about six weeks, the current wave remains strong after 12 weeks.

“The coexistence of two subvariants appears to have caused prolonged and overlapping waves in Queensland.

“Social interaction over the holiday period has probably also fuelled the prolonged wave.”

The chief doctor said that Queensland’s hospitals continued to take precautions to protect staff and patients, such as requiring masks in high-risk areas.

“This is a reminder to Queenslanders that Covid-19 continues to have a significant impact, so it is essential people stay home if unwell, practise good hygiene and remain up to date with their vaccinations.”

JN.1 has been classified as a variant of interest by the World Health Organisation due to its rapid spread.

On December 21, there were 322 people in hospital with Covid-19 but the wave has not flattened as predicted.

Infectious disease expert Paul Griffin said that Queenslanders were given reassurance too early about the wave before Christmas.

“I would like to see better communication on Covid,” he said. “We don’t do waste water testing or regularly report case numbers. I see so many people in my work suffering terribly from long Covid.”

Research shows that one in 10 people who get Covid will have long, lingering symptoms.

The professor assured Queenslanders that the current vaccine would help fight against the new variant but warned people to take precautions to protect themselves.