The State recorded just 3750 new cases of the virus on Monday, almost one third of them school aged children, in figures that ware well down on the previous daily total of 7311.

Six new deaths were also announced, three of them in aged care.

Chief Health Officer Dr John Gerrard said the 963 positive cases in school children include 527 cases in five to 11-year-olds and 436 in 12-17-year-olds.

Dr Gerrard said given that children had only returned to school a week ago, this week would be the pivotal period.

“The degree of immunity in school aged children is not clear. We will learn in the next few days whether the numbers do or do not increase,” he said.

Of the five to 11-year-olds who are eligible for vaccine, 41.12 per cent have so far been vaccinated and the Government urged parents to have their children done as soon as possible.

The six deaths were aged in their 50s to 90s. Gerrard said one was not vaccinated, one had received one dose of the vaccine, four had received two doses and none of these who died had received a booster shot.

Dr Gerrard said the total number of deaths in aged care facilities in Queensland was now 200.

Hospitalisation rates on Monday remained steady, at 484 and 40 in intensive care but Gerrard said this was expected, as people tend to be discharged later in the week.

Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said that soon, the daily press conference and Covid-19 briefing may be dispensed with, as numbers continue to fall.

Monday’s conference was coupled with Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and a host of Ministers, announcing the site of the Government’s seventh satellite hospital, to be built at Eight Mile Plains in Brisbane’s south.

Satellite hospitals, a commitment of the Palaszczuk Government at the last election, are designed to take the pressure off larger hospital and bring healthcare closer to populations.

Palaszczuk said the satellite hospitals would be operation in 2023.

The others will be established at Caboolture, Redlands, Pine Rivers, Tugun, Bribie Island and Ripley.