Cruise ship struck down with Covid case, 20th Tasmanian dies with Covid

Passengers aboard a boutique cruise ship that arrived in Hobart today will be placed in isolation after one of those on board tested positive for Covid. LATEST COVID UPDATE >>

PASSENGERS aboard a boutique cruise ship that arrived in Hobart on Sunday will be placed in isolation after one of those on board tested positive for Covid-19.

Acting State Health Commander Dale Webster said the Coral Discoverer left Hobart on January 27 for a 10-day cruise around Tasmania.

It did not leave Tasmanian waters.

The passenger tested positive on a RAT on the last day of the cruise and is experiencing mild symptoms.

The cruise ship, Coral Discoverer berthed at MAC 2. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Mr Webster said passengers and crew will be required to isolate in a quarantine hotel for seven days as close contacts as they do not have their own suitable premises.

It is the second time to cruise ship has been impacted since Tasmania re-opened its borders.

In early January, passengers and crew aboard the Coral Discoverer berthed in Hobart were quarantined after two confirmed Covid-19 cases were found to be on board while infectious

20th Tasmanian dies with Covid in latest outbreak

ANOTHER Tasmanian has died with Covid-19 as the number of new infections continue to plateau taking the number of deaths since the State’s borders reopened to seven.

The 89-year-old man was a resident of an aged care facility in Tasmania’s south.

The government said the man had significant underlying conditions but was Covid-19 positive at the time of his death and the virus cannot be ruled out as a contributing factor.

Tasmania recorded just 471 new cases of the virus overnight to take the total number of active cases to under 3500.

More than 31,000 Tasmanians have had the virus and recovered.

Five of the 11 people in hospital with Covid-19 are being treated specifically for symptoms. One is in ICU.

Arts Minister Elise Archer has also announced its Live Performance Support Program will be extended as the sector works to get back on its feet.

The program, administered by Arts Tasmania, sees the Tasmanian Government share some of the risk of potential lost ticket sales if performances need to be cancelled or significantly modified due to changes to Public Health directives relating to Covid-19.

The program will be extended until September 30 and new guidelines mean those organising events which are put off due to a venue, or performance group, being impacted by isolation requirements can apply for funding.

So far the government has only handed over $150,000 to the sector and this was due to events being cancelled during Hobart’s snap three-day lockdown last year.

Another $1.7m has been held as security on events which later did not need funding because crowds turned up and performances went ahead as planned.

New Hobart Theatre Royal CEO Simon Wellington under lights at the theatre. Picture SUPPLIED.

Theatre Royal CEO Simon Wellington said while a number of shows had been postponed, people had returned to the theatre in droves once capacity restrictions were eased last year.

Meanwhile the Royal Flying Doctor Service has been busy delivering vaccinations to students in the State’s most remote areas before Wednesday’s return to school

Just over 80 students on Tasmania’s West Coast received their Covid-19 vaccination from RFDS Tasmania mobile clinics over the past week.

More than 55 per cent of all Tasmanian school aged children have now been vaccinated.