Tasmania records first case of coronavirus in months

A traveller returning from Victoria has broken the state’s winning coronavirus streak, marking the first new infection in 65 days.

A young woman who travelled from Victoria to Tasmania has broken the state’s winning coronavirus streak, marking the first new infection in 65 days and bringing the Tasmania’s total infection tally to 227.

The woman had been undertaking her mandatory 14-day self-isolation at a quarantine hotel in the state’s south, and was infectious towards the end of her quarantine, Acting Public Health Director Scott McKeown told reporters.

She is in a stable condition at the Royal Hobart Hospital and does not, “at this stage pose a risk to public health”, Dr McKeown said.

“The risk of spread to guests, staff or the wider community is low.”

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Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein has “strongly recommended” returned travellers in hotel quarantine volunteer for testing. Picture: Luke Bowden

The new infection prompted Premier Peter Gutwein to “strongly recommend”, from tomorrow, anyone staying in a quarantine hotel volunteers for coronavirus testing at days five and 12 of their stay.

Dr McKeown said that under the new policy, if someone is assessed as being a risk but refuses a test, the Government will use powers under the Public Health Act to force them to have one.

“We expect all people to agree to have a test, we expect that the uptake (will) be very high,” he said this morning.

“If we felt that there was an assessment that a person posed a risk but they were refusing testing we could consider using those powers.”

More than 700 people are currently isolating in nine government quarantine facilities, and around 1000 are in self-isolation at home.

The new testing recommendation is an “just for the additional public health control that the risk of people from Victoria may pose in our hotels”.

While Tasmania has banned the entry of non-essential travellers from Victoria, Tasmanian residents are allowed to return home provided they quarantine in government accommodation for the 14-day period.

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VICTORIA

Over on the virus-hit mainland, and Victoria today announced another 374 COVID-19 infections and three new deaths, marking the second-worst jump in cases for any state or territory in Australia since the pandemic began.

Victorian Health Minister Jenny Mikakos did, however, reassure Victorians – many of whom have entered their second week of a six-week lockdown – that they’re “making progress”.

“I know all Victorians are on an emotional rollercoaster and I just want people to be assured that while the numbers might be going up and down in recent days, we are making progress,” she told reporters this morning.

Premier Daniel Andrews said it was “too early to be talking about the next steps” – in reference to greater Melbourne and Mitchell Shire moving from stage three to stage four restrictions – because “we’re not in a position where we’re seeing that absolutely exponential growth doubling, and then doubling again every couple of days”.

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NEW SOUTH WALES

NSW’s deputy chief medical officer Jeremy McAnulty confirmed 13 new coronavirus cases had been reported in the last 24 hours – taking the state’s total to 3410.

Dr McAnulty implored residents to consider staying home as community transmission continues to shut down pubs, gyms and restaurants across the state.

“While it is not a legal requirement, it would be preferable and safer for the time being to avoid all non-essential travel and not host or attend gatherings of more than 10 people at home (not withstanding that the legal limit is 20 people),” he said.

“Everyone should observe social distancing and hygiene measures and consider wearing a face mask in situations where social distancing is not possible.”

While we’re yet to hear from all of Australia’s other states and territories, both Queensland and the ACT have reported no new cases.