Health Minister Yvette D’Ath on Friday said elective surgeries could be affected at some hospitals in response to thousands of health workers needing to quarantine or isolate.

“It’s important that we let people know that in various parts of Queensland right now we are seeing extra pressure,” Ms D’Ath told reporters.

“Each hospital and health service … will be looking at whether they need to suspend planned care.”

The number of health staff currently off work has more than doubled in the past week and a half, she said.

The state recorded another 10,722 cases on Friday, with 376 patients in public hospitals and 13 in ICU.

Another 27 cases are in private hospitals, with one patient in ICU.

Data suggests the state’s current Omicron wave is about a third of the size of the previous wave in January, Chief Health Officer John Gerrard said.

Queensland appears to be approaching the peak of infection transmission, with hospital numbers expected to follow one to two weeks later.

The state has also changed testing and quarantine requirements for people previously infected with the virus in line with national guidelines.

Patients who have recovered do not need to be re-tested in the 12-week period after their infection, regardless of symptoms.

They also will not be considered a close contact or subject to quarantine requirements during that time.

Meanwhile, Dr Gerrard’s pandemic powers to order Covid-19 face mask and vaccine mandates, as well as citywide lockdowns, have been extended for six months.

The state Labor government passed its public health bill on Thursday night with the support of 48 Labor MPs, but it was opposed by the Liberal National Party, Katter’s Australian Party, One Nation MPs, and independent MP Sandy Bolton.

D’Ath said the powers are still needed to act quickly given the unpredictable nature of COVID-19.

“This bill has been developed in a period of ongoing uncertainty not experienced in a century,” she told parliament on Thursday night.

“For the foreseeable future, there will continue to be unknowns.”

The LNP moved amendments to extend Gerrard’s powers only until the end of May, as well as for the government to publicly release health advice and for a new parliamentary oversight committee for the CHO.

“To continually accept these laws without the proper oversight, without the proper transparency, would be for this parliament to not be doing its job,” LNP leader David Crisafulli said.

D’Ath did not respond to transparency concerns, but said winding back the pandemic powers in two months was irresponsible.

While the Queensland Human Rights Commission had called for vaccine mandates to end, D’Ath said the rights of the individual needed to be weighed with those of the general population.

“We know it is hard to weigh up those rights and get the balance correct, but we have to do it,” she said.