Government holds firm as total Covid case numbers peak

Tasmania is now grappling with the highest number of active Covid-19 cases seen since the beginning of the pandemic. LATEST + WARNINGS >>

Tasmania is now grappling with the highest number of active Covid-19 cases seen since the beginning of the pandemic.

The state recorded 1779 new Covid cases on Friday, reaching 9105 total active cases.

It comes after the state government began scrapping mask-wearing requirements for most indoor settings two weeks ago, as the more transmissible variant of the Omicron strain, known as BA.2, takes hold across Tasmania.

But Premier Peter Gutwein said hospitalisations for the virus remained low, which he attributed to the state’s high vaccination rates.

There are currently 23 people in hospital with the virus, but only five are being treated specifically for Covid symptoms. Three are in ICU.

“Any complacency will lead to higher hospitalisation numbers over time,” Mr Gutwein said.

“I could not encourage people more strongly to go and get vaccinated.”

Daily case numbers have spiked in recent days, after the state was consistently recording less than 1000 cases a day.

Covid update

More than 99 per cent of Tasmanians over the age of 12 have received their first dose of a Covid vaccine, while 62.60 per cent of children aged between 5 and 11 have had their initial jab.

62.55 per cent of Tasmanians over the age of 16 have had a booster shot.

Public Health director Mark Veitch said cases had “near enough to doubled over the course of this week”.

“The increase started in the north-west about a month ago,” Dr Veitch said.

“Now the increase is most marked in the south. This corresponds closely with the increase in the variance of the BA.2 strain.

“We certainly saw an increase on Monday of this week in the case numbers.

“Last week, around half of the cases in the South were the BA.2 strain.

“It’s my expectation … that nearly all of the cases now diagnosed in the state are due to the BA.2 strain.”

Dr Veitch said the BA.2 variant did not result in more severe illness than the BA.1 variant.

He said he anticipated that cases would begin to decline come April.

State Health Commander Kathrine Morgan-Wicks said the aim this winter would be for Tasmania to achieve record flu vaccination rates.

The state government has prepared a winter flu plan, as it steels itself to respond to both Covid and flu cases.

Ms Morgan-Wicks said flu vaccinations would be prioritised for workers in health and care settings.

She said she encouraged every Tasmanian to get a flu vaccination this winter.

RHH escalates Covid plan as Tassie records second highest daily toll - March 17

The Royal Hobart Hospital has escalated its Covid management plan to level two just 10 days after it was downgraded due to a spike in cases, a rise of Covid-positive inpatients and an increase of Covid-related staff absences.

The changes come after the state recorded 1909 cases on Thursday – the second highest daily toll reported to the Tasmanian health department this year.

The state has recorded 12,581 new cases in the past 10 days and now has 8467 known active cases in the community. While 25 people are in hospital with the virus, nine being treated specifically for Covid and three are in intensive care.

As part of the escalation a number of restrictions will be implemented inside the building to avoid the virus from spreading further. This means that unvaccinated visitors will only be allowed entry if they have an exemption, patients in the Emergency Department may only have one support person and elective surgery will be reduced where clinically appropriate.

Covid-19 Update for schools Katherine Morgan-Wicks, Head of Department of Health Tasmania Photo: Linda Higginson

In light of the escalation the State Health Commander Katherine Morgan Wicks said Southern Tasmania was also experiencing a significant level of non-Covid acute care demand, urging people with non-life-threatening conditions to reconsider attending the Emergency Department and instead get in touch with their GP.

“The surge in cases that Tasmania has experienced is to be expected and is a result of BA2 variant becoming the dominant strain in the state.” said Ms Morgan Wicks.

A recent spike in Covid-19 cases is easing with numbers falling again

Sunday, March 13

THE number of new Covid-19 infections recorded in Tasmania fell to under 1000 on Sunday for the first time since March 8.

The drop comes as the government continues its push to get children aged 5-11 vaccinated against the virus with specialist clinics held across the state over the long weekend.

Just 62 per cent of that cohort has received one dose of the vaccine leaving 17,000 children in that age group unvaccinated.

More than 100 schools in Tasmania have had class outbreaks of the virus.

An outbreak at Somerset Primary School involves 37 students and one staff member infected and more testing will be done this week.

Childhood vaccination rates are lagging in the North West.

Masks are still required to be worn by teachers and high school students.

A quarter of families with school-aged children have been using Rapid Antigen tests every week to keep on top of the situation, the government said.

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said more than half of Tasmanian parents with children aged 5-11 were choosing to get them vaccinated.

Dr Veitch said until a week ago, four children aged 10-19 have been hospitalised with the virus, two aged 5-9 and 15 under five years of age.

Tasmania’s Covid-19 death rate since the borders re-opened on December 15 (13) is the lowest in Australia after WA.

Dr Veitch said hospitalisation rates were also lower than expected.

“But one in 100 people in Tasmania is an active case. It is widespread and there remains a considerable risk of catching it. While masks are no longer required in a number of settings I recommend you wear them while the virus is so active in the community,” Dr Veitch said.

Some Tasmanians have become re-infected with the virus after recovering.

“The worst possible consequences are not being manifested in Tasmania and the rate of increase is slowing after a spike in the North West.”

Premier Peter Gutwein said the state would release its Covid-19-influenza plan next week to guide health directives as we head into winter.

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Originally published as Government holds firm as total Covid case numbers peak