DAILY BLOG, April 13: AMA team to provide emergency support in the North-West

Tasmania’s coronavirus tally has climbed to 150 after six more people tested positive in the North-West, including three healthcare workers. REWATCH THE PREMIER’S ADDRESS HERE.

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9.15pm: EXHAUSTED PARAMEDICS FEAR FOR PATIENTS

A pair of “pretty exhausted” paramedics at the centre of Tasmania’s coronavirus fight have detailed the gruelling nature of their job.

Launceston ambulance workers Natalie Koning and Sydney Pitt took to social media on Monday outlining the tireless work they had undertaken over the past week in “unprecedented times”.

Ms Koning’s post expressed concern about the recent closures of Burnie’s North West Regional Hospital and the North West Private Hospital, saying: “there are more than 1000 staff in quarantine and some have COVID-19”.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

8.30pm: PREMIER PETER GUTWEIN REJECTS SOCIAL MEDIA RUMOURS

The hunt for the source of an outbreak which has infected 60 people with coronavirus in the North-West could take weeks, Tasmania’s Director of Public Health says.

Premier Peter Gutwein yesterday poured scorn on rumours circulating on social media which claimed to identify several possible causes of the outbreak.

Dr Mark Veitch said the experts themselves were still trying to come up with the exact cause, although some potential sources of the infection that have affected the North West Regional Hospital were readily apparent.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

7.40pm: EX TOP COP BULLISH ON ISO-RELEASE

A former top Tasmanian police officer has lashed out over his 14-day isolation stay in a Hobart hotel.

Former Assistant Police Commissioner Glenn Frame, who was allowed to return home on Monday after serving a mandatory fortnight of isolation at the Airport TraveLodge, said he was disappointed with how the arrangement was handled.

“Other states quarantine people with the virus, and those not yet diagnosed are able to self-isolate,” he said.

“It doesn't seem to make logical sense to me, and I’m not convinced there is a need for it.”

Mr Frame said little emotional support was offered.

“In the first dew days there was no communication at all,” he said.

“I’m not sure if there would have been any at all had the situation not been highlighted.”

He said the first thing he did after exiting was enjoy some outdoor exercise.

Former Assistant Police Commissioner Glenn Frame. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

7.15pm: CONFIRMED CASES CLIMB TO 150

Six more people have tested positive for COVID-19 in the state’s North-West since 6pm last night, including three healthcare workers.

The latest cases of coronavirus take Tasmania’s tally to 150.

Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch confirmed three of the cases are healthcare workers, one case is an inpatient and two cases are close contacts of previously confirmed cases.

“Four cases are male, two are female and their ages range from the 20s to 70s,” he said.

The situation with coronavirus is changing regularly.

People can stay up to date by visiting the Department of Health coronavirus website www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au or the Australian Government Department of Health website at www.health.gov.au. 

3.38pm: VOLUNTEER GROUP PRODUCES FACE MASKS AND SHIELDS

A group of talented Tasmanians with a passion for keeping our frontline workers safe during the COVID-19 pandemic have joined forces to produce two potentially lifesaving products.

The team of volunteers, which includes two nurses, two IT experts, a medical scientist and a naval architect, have been working around the clock to make face masks and shields using 3D printers.

Medical scientist and 3DPPE-TAS member Jen Rayner said the safety equipment would first be distributed to emergency and healthcare professionals before being made available to other vulnerable frontline workers, such as delivery drivers and supermarket cashiers.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

3.17pm: MORE THAN 100 CAUGHT FLOUTING CORONAVIRUS RULES

Tasmania Police made six more arrests on Easter Sunday, but all were allegedly committing other crimes when also charged with COVID-19 compliance breaches.

In one instance, police intercepted two men who had undertaken a nearly 500km return trip from Railton to Strahan, via Rosebery, to purchase a car for sale on the side of the road.

The pair stopped twice for fuel and coffee.

While this was deemed an unnecessary trip and the men are being proceeded against for several offences, Acting Deputy Commission Jonathan Higgins said most Tasmanians were heeding the health advice and staying home.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

11.50am: AMA TEAM TO BE DEPLOYED TO TASSIE

The North West Regional Hospital is the epicentre of coronavirus infection in Tasmania and it, and the nearby private hospital, were closed at 7am.

An Australian Medical Assistance team will fly into Tasmania to help deliver health services on the North West Coast as up to 5000 residents – hospital staff and their families – are placed in quarantine.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

WATCH THE PREMIER’S DAILY BRIEFING LIVE

9.59am: ANGST OVER CLOSURE OF IVF CLINICS

A shutdown of IVF procedures is devastating news for many Tasmanians hoping to start or extend their family.

IVF clinics around Australia have stopped most egg collection and embryo transfers due to national guidelines around non-urgent elective procedures.

Hobart-based fertility doctor Bill Watkins said his clinic, Tas-IVF, would allow women who were part way through fertility treatment to complete their cycle, but no new treatments would begin until the coronavirus situation cleared.

“We’re completing any cycles that have commenced, but then we’ll be putting cycles on hold until the situation clears,” Dr Watkins said.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

8.40am: ALARM AT PRIVATE TESTING OFFER

The advertising for coronavirus testing by an independent Tasmanian business has sparked concerns from local general practitioners.

The business recently posted on social media that it was offering COVID-19 testing

“Yes that’s right! We are now running tests for COVID-19,” the post read.

“With the growing need and demand for availability of testing coronavirus, the functional medicine labs that I work with have now resealed a nasopharyngeal swab performed by PCR testing which is currently the accepted method by the state departments of health.

“This test can be done at home, so I can post out to out-of-town clients, including those living in other states of Australia. Results will be back within 24 hours.”

The post was met with concerns from Tasmanian doctors who questioned the business’s medical accreditation.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Sunday, 8pm: 11 NEW VIRUS CASES IN STATE’S NORTH-WEST

Eleven new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Tasmania this evening.

All of the new cases are in the state’s North-West, and eight are hospital workers.

In a brief statement, Acting Director of Public Health, Scott McKeown, said the new cases brought the state’s tally to 144.

He said one of the new cases was an inpatient, and two are close contacts of previously confirmed cases.

Further details will be provided later.

The situation with coronavirus is changing regularly. People can stay up to date by visiting the Department of Health coronavirus website www.coronavirus.tas.gov.au or the Australian Government Department of Health website at www.health.gov.au.