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Queensland has passed the peak of the third COVID wave with it expected to end in the coming weeks, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says.
Ms Palaszczuk made the announcement at the Ekka today with hospitalisation numbers falling steadily since last month.
"We actually peaked around July 25 … that's excellent news," she said.
Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said the news came much earlier than national modelling had predicted.
"We believe this fantastic result is because Queenslanders have responded to national advice. Namely to get heir boosters, stay at home when sick, take anti-viral medicines and wear a mask in indoor crowded environments," he said.
Queenslanders are still being urged to get their booster shots and wear a mask when they are indoors.
He said main indicator numbers – including hospitalisations and active cases – had fallen by 45 per cent or more since July 26.
COVID wave 'every three months'
Dr Gerrard said the wave was expected to end in the coming weeks but another wave was expected in December.
"The virus is not going to go away. We are going to continue to have ongoing transmission," he said.
"The current pattern we have seen in Queensland and worldwide is a wave every three months.
"We still believe it is likely there will be a further wave this year, but it is likely as time goes by, these waves will become milder in severity.
"Everyone now knows what they need to do."
Currently 667 people are in hospital with the virus; compared with 1,123 at the peak of the wave.
"There are still 26 patients in the intensive care unit," Dr Gerrard said.
There were just 2,504 new cases today and there are 35,482 active cases.
That's a 47 per cent decrease from the peak of 66,569 on July 26.
Monkeypox vaccine available soon
The initial supplies of monkeypox vaccine will arrive in Queensland this week.
The vaccine will be targeted to very close contacts and high-risk cases.
"Initially the numbers of doses will be small and that will escalate in coming weeks and months," Dr Gerrard said.
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