Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says it looks like the state may have already faced the worst of the current wave of COVID-19.
The forecast winter wave of combined COVID-19 and flu has been seen in hospitals struggling around the country.
“We had modeling done, quite comprehensive modeling, that showed the end of August would be our peak,” Palaszczuk told Today.
“However, what we have seen over the last couple of days is a decline in the hospitalizations of people going into hospital, of course with COVID and with flu.
“So look, we are going to monitor that over the next couple of days and fingers crossed, we may have been through the worst of it, but time will tell. We just need a few more days to get a handle on those numbers.
“The premier said hospital pressures were being felt right across the country, and defended her decision to sink $220 million into a dedicated quarantine facility that Queensland Health now says is unnecessary.
“At the time we had to build it, it absolutely was (a good investment) because we knew that there were pressures on our hotel quarantine,” she said.
She said the government had spent $9.75 billion in its latest budget on building three new hospitals and expanding health facilities throughout the state.
“It is the largest hospital boost ever,” she said.