QUEENSLAND’s confirmed coronavirus cases have increased by 78 in the past 24 hours, the largest single-day increase since the outbreak began.

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It takes the state’s total to 397 confirmed cases of coronavirus. The previous largest single-day increase was 60, recorded yesterday.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles says there are 27 fever clinics opened in Queensland with $1.2 billion dedicated to helping hospitals deal with the outbreak.

While most of the new cases are based in southeast Queensland, there are three in Cairns.

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Despite the surge in cases overnight, there is still only one person who has been admitted to intensive care in Queensland.

Health Minister Steven Miles assured the community there was sufficient PPE in public hospitals.

“I can certainly assure clinicians working in our Queensland public hospitals that we have very significant stockpiles of PPE and they’re working hard to secure more,” he said.

“I understand in some parts of the private sector, there might be supply chain challenges or other constraints on their availability.

“What we’ve said to our clinicians, is that while we have sufficient stockpiles all of it should be treated as a valuable resource.”

Mr Miles said while there had been a small cluster of cases on the Gold Coast, there was no need to lockdown suburbs or streets.

He also revealed Queensland Hospital EDs had recorded a 12 per cent increase in patients compared to last month.

Chief health officers from around the country are meeting this afternoon to discuss COVID-19, including when testing criteria should change.

COUNCIL STAFF MEMBER DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19

A TOWNSVILLE City Council staff member has been diagnosed with coronavirus.

The man had recently returned from an overseas holiday and had been self-isolating.

He has not returned to work.

A spokesman for the council tonight confirmed the case, stating immediately upon returning to Australia, the staff member self-isolated in line with guidelines.

“He tested positive to the virus while in isolation and will remain in quarantine until he is cleared by health professionals,” he said.

ITALIAN CRUISE SHIP UPDATE

A CRUISE ship carrying elderly Queenslanders towards coronavirus-ravaged Italy has had a confirmed case of the deadly disease on-board.

The Costa Victoria is due to dock in Italy on Tuesday night Australian time with already anxious passengers now on high alert after discovering that one of their fellow passengers had tested positive to the virus.

An Argentinian national was tested when the ship docked at the Greek Island of Crete several days ago and has since been confirmed with the coronavirus.

The passenger remains in a Greek hospital, but the positive test has placed the entire ship in to lockdown as it approaches port in Italy, which has now overtaken China as the deadliest source of the virus.

Several elderly Queenslanders are on-board, confined to their quarters, with little idea of how to return to Australia.

A charter company is believed to have offered a flight for almost 300 passengers, but officials are still working through costing arrangements.

EXTRA WELFARE FOR STUDENTS, APPRENTICES

STUDENTS and apprentices will get a special coronavirus welfare payment after Social Service Minister Anne Ruston used new emergency powers to widen the scope of the program.

Ms Ruston was handed “quite significant power” last night in an extraordinary sitting of parliament to make changes to social security settings to deal with the coronavirus crisis.

Her first move this morning was to extend a $550 fortnightly coronavirus welfare payment to students on youth allowance and apprentices.

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“I think this is great news for our young Australians, in recognition that they, too, are likely to be severely impacted by the coronavirus, as jobs are lost, particularly in our tourism and hospitality area, where many of these younger people tend to be finding jobs to supplement their income,” she said.

Its estimated up to 230,000 students could receive the payments for six months.

LABOR PLEDGES TO FREEZE RATES

A LABOR council administration would freeze rates in Brisbane for at least a year in a bid to help residents and business owners struggling through the coronavirus crisis.

The party’s lord mayoral candidate Patrick Condren said he would freeze rates “across the board” for 12 months, saying it’s the right thing to do right now.

“It will be immediate and it will be for every ratepayer in Brisbane,” he said.

“These are unprecedented times and I’ve been very clear for the entire six months of my campaign that I’m about residents.

“We find ourselves in difficult times and it’s important for the people of Brisbane that this move is done.”

A freeze does not mean rates will not need to be paid – it means they will not be subject to increases.

Mr Condren said Labor had costed the plan at $69 million, and the move would apply to all ratepayers, including businesses.

“This would give homeowners and businesses some real relief on rates,” Mr Condren said.

“It would be more money in their pocket and more money to spend at the local coffee shop, takeaway …”

In response to Mr Condren’s announcement, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner said Labor could not be trusted running the council’s budget in the best of times, “let alone during a crisis”.

“While Mr Condren is focused on running for election and making promises he can’t keep, I’m focused on keeping the city running,” he said.

STRANDED DOCTORS MAY SOON HIT DRY LAND

THERE has been a major breakthrough for dozens of Queensland doctors stranded on a cruise ship off the coast of South America.

The doctors – many who have roles which will place them on the frontline in the fight against coronavirus, have been on a medical conference on the MS Roald Amundsen since late February.

The voyage was meant to come to an end last Monday, but the rapidly-evolving health crisis saw most countries shut their borders to international travel.

There are more than 30 cruise ships still at sea around the world with Aussies on-board, including the Costa Victoria, which was due to finish its voyage in coronavirus-riddled Italy.

But officials from the MS Roald Amundsen have now reached an agreement with the government on the British-controlled Falkland Islands to allow passengers to disembark at Stanley in the coming days.

media_camera Queensland doctors aboard MS Roald Amundsen may soon be able to disembark and fly home. Picture: John Borthwick

It is hoped they will then be able to secure safe onward passage home.

In a statement, a spokeswoman for cruise company Hurtigruten said they hoped to get passengers to their homelands as safely and quickly as possible.

“Through an agreement with the local authorities on the Falkland Islands, we are committed to getting our guests back home safely and efficiently with flights from Stanley within a few days,” the statement said.

The Costa Victoria is believed to be in the Suez Canal, heading towards the Mediterranean Sea, but it is understood that earlier plans to dock in Venice have now been changed.