Daily blog, April 19: Nine new coronavirus cases in state’s North-West
Nine new cases of coronavirus were confirmed on Sunday. It comes after a woman was charged after allegedly repeatedly leaving her mandatory hotel quarantine to smoke.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- Homes light up to thank our ‘true heroes’
- What went wrong in the North West?
- More than 100 people fined for flouting lockdown laws
- IVF clinics in the state have been shut down
- Politician slammed for staying at East Coast shack
READ: Everything we know on every case of COVID-19 in Tasmania
Have questions about business and retail, finishing school or how your movements are restricted?
9.45pm: NINE NEW CASES OF CORNAVIRUS, ALL ON NORTH-WEST
TASMANIA has confirmed nine cases of coronavirus since 6pm last night, bringing the state’s total to 197.
All of these are from the North-West.
Public Health Director Dr Mark Veitch said the results of three cases became available late on Saturday night.
Two of those are close contacts of a confirmed case while one was a nursing home resident.
Details of the six cases that were diagnosed on Sunday will be provided later, Dr Veitch 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.
9pm: COUPLE’S DOUBLE DOSE OF CORONAVIRUS HELL
A COUPLE who were passengers on a coronavirus-stricken cruise ship have revealed their horror ordeal of testing positive to the deadly virus then being cleared, only to be struck down again.
Jason Parsell and fiancee Danielle Hanson, of Blackmans Bay, say their experience with COVID-19 shows all positive cases should be retested to make certain the virus has left their system before they come out of isolation.
Under national guidelines, only those who work in health and aged care who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 are being tested to clear them of the disease.
8.10pm: NURSE’S ISOLATION MARATHON FOR CHARITY
IT may not have the picturesque scenery of the Midlands, but Hobart nurse Nicole Miles’ backyard will be the scene of a marathon to remember.
Next Sunday the Royal Hobart Hospital registered nurse will run hundreds of laps of the backyard of her Lutana home to raise funds for charity.
“I was meant to do the Ross Marathon which was cancelled due to social distancing restrictions, so I decided to put my entry fee towards Foodbank Tasmania given supermarket shelves are empty and a lot of people are struggling at the moment,” Mrs Miles said.
7.05pm: SMOKER CHARGED FOR QUARANTINE BREACHES
A WOMAN in mandatory isolation at Wrest Point Casino has been charged with “repeated breaches” of coronavirus quarantine requirements.
The woman, 57, was arrested and charged on Sunday morning.
Tasmania Police said officers were first called on Saturday morning in relation to a woman in quarantine who was allegedly failing to comply by continuing to leave her room to smoke.
6.20pm: BLITZ UNCOVERS INFECTED AGED CARE RESIDENT
A WOMAN from a Devonport aged care home has tested positive for coronavirus, after 500 tests were conducted on residents and staff at three facilities.
The 79-year-old who is a resident at the Melaleuca facility at East Devonport has been transferred to the Launceston General Hospital for treatment.
The testing blitz followed news last week that a coronavirus-positive health worker had spent time at three nursing homes in the North-West.
5.20pm: PORTE’S EX-TEAMMATE A CORONAVIRUS HERO
THERE are no races to win or champagne to spray, but one of Tasmanian professional cyclist Richie Porte’s former teammates and now a Tour de France rival has scored a moral victory in Italy.
Former Team Sky rider Davide Martinelli has become a hero of his home region of Lombardy in Northern Italy.
The 26-year-old Astana rider, who was on Team Sky with Porte for three years from 2012-14, has been using his bike to help deliver medicine to elderly residents and others in need during the coronavirus pandemic.
5pm: CORONAVIRUS RESTRICTIONS WORKING, SAYS PREMIER
TOUGH measures to contain the spread of coronavirus on Tasmania’s North-West Coast appear to be working, Premier Peter Gutwein says.
But he has warned against complacency, saying a further outbreak was possible if people failed to follow the rules.
Last week, the State Government took drastic action to contain the spread of COVID-19 in the region, which saw many businesses close and thousands of residents placed in lockdown.
The Burnie outbreak now accounts for more than half of the state’s total cases.
4.25pm: SMILES ALL ROUND AS MARKET RETURNS
THE popular Farm Gate Market returned on Sunday with strict new health and hygiene measures.
Patrons received a spray of hand sanitiser upon entry into the Bathurst St site while organisers were seen reminding people to follow health advice in keeping 1.5m apart.
Lines to stalls appeared longer than usual as customers left generous gaps between each other as police officers patrolled the site.
The market’s reopening, after a brief closure following Government crowd-gathering concerns, was met with delight from shoppers who turned out to support local growers.
3.50pm: AFL-STYLE ‘GHOST GAMES’ CONSIDERED FOR TSL RESTART
“GHOST games” are among a raft of scenarios being kicked around by AFL Tasmania to get local football up and running again.
The AFL will announce its reboot strategy next Monday and news of the TSL’s season roll-out will follow soon after.
AFL Tasmania’s CEO Trish Squires and manager of public affairs and infrastructure Damian Gill have been in regular communication with other state leagues about potential season strategies.
3.40pm: SUPPORT ON HAND TO BOOST COVID FIGHT
TASMANIA’S frontline health capabilities could be bolstered by further deployment of private sector and not-for-profit medics in a bid to curb the state’s coronavirus spread.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney on Sunday said the State Government was “looking at a range of measures” to support healthcare workers and ensure Tasmania has “as many staff as required” to quickly respond to coronavirus cases.
St John Ambulance chief executive Ross Byrne said organisation volunteers and career workers were “ready to go” in whatever capacity Public Health required.
2.15pm: TASMANIANS JOIN TO #SHINE4FORTHEFRONTLINE
THOUSANDS of Tasmanian homes, businesses and landmarks have been lit up in tribute to the state’s tireless frontline workers.
The Mercury launched the #shine4forthefrontline campaign last Friday and Tasmanians have responded in an overwhelming manner.
See some of the tributes in the mega gallery.
READ MORE AND SEE THE GALLERY HERE
11.20am: AGED CARE FACILITY TESTING UNCOVERS NEW VIRUS CASE
PREMIER Peter Gutwein has revealed the testing of about 500 staff and residents at three aged care facilities in the state’s North-West has uncovered one new positive case of coronavirus.
Mr Gutwein said the positive case was a 79-year-old woman from the Melaleuca facility, and that woman has been transferred to the Launceston General Hospital for treatment.
He said it was “reassuring” that only one positive case had been found, but “bittersweet” that there had been a new case confirmed.
He said measures to restrict movement of the virus appear, at this stage, to be working.
“But we all need to remain disciplined and follow the rules,” he said.
“The virus moves with people and we need to limit their movement.
“I know I’m going to sound like a broken record, but ... unless you’ve got an essential reason to be outside of your home, stay home, keep safe, help us to save lives.
“Protect yourself, protect your family, protect your community.”
Health Minister Sarah Courtney revealed there had been four new cases of coronavirus confirmed overnight, including the aged care resident.
It brings the state’s total number of confirmed coronavirus cases to 191.
She said 69 people in Tasmania had recovered from the virus and have been released from quarantine.
Of the seven cases confirmed in the past 24 hours, one is the aged care resident and six are associated with the North-West outbreak.
Public Health Director Dr Mark Veitch said about 20 staff at the Melaleuca facility will be tested further and may be quarantined as a precaution.
He said many of those staff may need to be stood down as a precaution and extra staff brought in from the Commonwealth to ease staffing pressures at facility.
11am: TESTING AT TWO FACILITIES RETURN NEGATIVE RESULTS
RESPECT Aged Care has received confirmation this morning that all residents and staff tested for coronavirus at Eliza Purton and Coroneagh Park have returned negative results.
Respect CEO Jason Binder said 60 staff were still in isolation due to contact with the confirmed case, but negative test results for all residents and staff was fantastic news at this point in time.
“Obviously, this is not the time to relax, and I want to assure our residents and their families that we will leave no stone unturned to ensure the ongoing safety of our communities at both facilities,” Mr Binder said.
10.50am: LATEST UPDATE ON CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC
The State Government is giving its update on the latest news in Tasmania’s ongoing coronavirus fight.
LAST NIGHT
8.20pm: FOUR NEW VIRUS CASES IN STATE’S NORTH-WEST
Four cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Tasmania since 6pm on Friday night.
In a statement on Saturday evening acting Public Health Director Scott McKeown said all four cases were from the North-West, and all were men.
Two are in their 30s, one is aged in their 50s and one is in their 70s.
Three are healthcare workers who have worked at either the North West Regional Hospital or the North West Private Hospital and one is a close contact of a confirmed case.
Tests are continuing to be processed tonight for residents and staff at three North West nursing homes, where a worker had worked shifts before testing positive for coronavirus.
8pm: HEALTH PARTNERSHIP TO TRIPLE STATE’S TESTING RATES
TASMANIA will soon have the capacity to triple the number of coronavirus tests being conducted in the community, the State Government says.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney on Saturday announced a partnership between the state and federal governments and pathology company Sonic Healthcare to ramp up the state’s testing capabilities.
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