Queensland has joined a rising tide of virus fatalities as the forecast third Covid wave generates 376,000 active virus cases nationwide and 28,000 fresh infections since yesterday.

With the latest deaths representing the highest daily figure in this current wave, the Queensland Covid toll in the last 24 hours stands at 7364 new infections, bringing the number of active cases to 61,968.

While the state remains on edge following the death of 23 month old Ruby Edwards from Covid in a Brisbane hospital on Sunday, health authorities and the Deputy Premier Steven Miles have moved to calm nerves with the message that Covid is more dangerous for people over 50 and without the protection of full vaccination.

Acting chief health officer Peter Aitken said 17 of the 27 fatalities recorded in Queensland since yesterday were people in the 80-90 age group.

He said a significant number were not vaccinated or had received only one shot.

While refusing to be drawn on details regarding the death of Ruby Edwards, Aiken said the child’s loss was a “tragic case”.

“It’s a very rare complication and I don’t want to talk about the individual circumstances of that child,” he said

“It’s a tragic situation for that family.

“This was an incredibly rare complication of Covid. Covid isn’t going to suddenly go out and kill all our children, that is not going to happen.

“The best way you can protect your kids when they can’t get vaccinated is to look after yourself and make sure you don’t get Covid and take it home to your family.”

Miles said there had been an “uptick” in the number of people receiving boosters and anti-viral treatment in recent weeks as the Covid wave intensified.

In line with federal guidelines, “fully vaccinated” in Queensland means having received at least two jabs, while people who have received booster three or four, are defined as “up to date”.

Hospital workers fearing their health systems will be swamped by the wave, which is not expected to peak for another five weeks, may get some relief from today’s figures, with hospital admissions from Covid dipping below 1000 to 955 for the first time in about a week.

Aitken said the numbers showed vaccination was the best protection against the growing threat.

“Please get your third or fourth dose,” he said.

“It will reduce the likelihood of you dying from Covid.”

The picture in Queensland is in contrast to the dire outlook for NSW, where 2300 people are in hospital out of 5350 people receiving hospital treatment nationwide.

Almost half of adult Australians are now estimated to have contracted the virus since the pandemic began, according to the latest study by Sydney’s Kirby Institute.

The research shows 46.2 per cent of adults were estimated to have had the virus by early June, with more than a quarter of the population infected in the previous three-month period.

The prevalence is almost triple that reported in its previous serosurvey – an analysis of blood antibody tests – which estimated about 17 per cent of the population had been infected by late February.