Coronavirus: Hobart quarantine escapee prompts defence

Tasmanian authorities are defending the state’s hotel quarantine system after a woman and her child allegedly escaped their mandatory isolation, sparking frantic contact tracing.

The Ibis Hotel in Hobart.

Tasmanian authorities are defending the state’s hotel quarantine system after a woman and her child allegedly escaped their mandatory isolation, sparking frantic contact tracing.

Tasmania Police said the two people, who had travelled from Victoria, spent time out of their mandatory hotel quarantine in Hobart on Monday night.

“The breach occurred at 6.20pm last night (Monday) from the Ibis Hotel in Hobart and they were returned to quarantine by police at 7.40pm,” said Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Higgins.

“They travelled in a taxi during the time that they were out of quarantine. Public Health contact tracers are working to establish any other movements and contacts.

“As an additional public health precaution, the woman will be subject to testing and more frequent COVID-19 screening for symptoms to ensure the earliest possible identification of any disease.”

Mr Higgins said the woman would be fined $774 for breaching hotel quarantine.

Tasmania effectively closed its border for entry of non-Tasmanians from Victoria from February 13, due to Melbourne’s current coronavirus cluster.

Those already in the state who had been in certain “high risk premises” linked to Melbourne’s cluster were required to enter quarantine.

Mr Higgins defended the state’s hotel quarantine system.

“In Tasmania, domestic hotel quarantine is provided by private security firms, which has provided and continues to provide a high standard of security since the start of the pandemic,” he said. “Tasmania Police continues to provide support to private security. We have had very few issues with non-compliance.”

Police on Tuesday night would not say where in the city the woman went, or what her motivation was.