Daily blog, April 20: The Royal Hobart Hospital’s K-block curse lifted
Tasmania has confirmed five new cases of coronavirus, taking the state’s tally to 200. REWATCH THE COVID-19 DAILY BRIEFING HERE.
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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?
8.30pm: FIVE NEW CASES CONFIRMED
TASMANIA’S coronavirus tally has reached 200, with five more cases confirmed tonight.
Acting Director of Public Health Dr Scott McKeown confirmed all of the cases are from the North-West.
All are women — four are aged in their 50s and one is aged in her 80s.
The State Government did not provide any further details on the people who had tested positive, including links to affected hospitals and aged care homes.
The latest breakdown of cases on the State Government’s coronavirus website, last updated at 5pm on Sunday, said there were 118 active cases in the state and 71 people had recovered.
Fifteen people were listed as being in hospital and none were in intensive care.
The coronavirus death toll stood at eight.
Premier Peter Gutwein is due to deliver his daily coronavirus situation update at 9.30am tomorrow morning.
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.
8.15pm: JUDGES WIN POWER TO SENTENCE IN CLOSED COURT
TASMANIAN judges and magistrates have been given the power to impose sentences in courts not open to the public during the COVID-19 crisis.
Attorney-General Elise Archer announced over the weekend she had issued notices under emergency legislation after requests from Chief Justice Alan Blow and Chief Magistrate Catherine Geason.
The notices mean the Supreme and Magistrates courts can impose sentences and hold hearings in closed court, and allow sittings to be held remotely via telephone or audiovisual link. Media will have access for reporting under special conditions.
8pm: UGLY SIDE TO CRISIS AS RACISTS VILIFY CHINESE
THE coronavirus pandemic continues to expose Tasmania’s ugly side, with a visiting Chinese farm worker refused service in a North-West shop, and a local Facebook page set up to tell China to “f. k off” already gaining 4000 supporters.
Chinese Cultural Society of Tasmania president Yongbei Tang said Chinese people in the state were finding the current climate — in which many people were blaming China for the coronavirus pandemic — very difficult to endure.
“No matter where the virus came from, we human beings are the victims of it, no matter your skin colour is white, black or yellow,” Ms Tang said.
5.45pm: P USH FOR ALL-CLEAR TESTING ON POSITIVE CASES
TESTING to clear coronavirus-positive patients from the deadly illness should be made mandatory for all cases in Tasmania, opposition parties say.
The push comes after revelations a Blackmans Bay couple who contracted COVID-19 after travelling on a cruise ship were cleared of the virus before being struck down a second time.
As reported by the Mercury on Sunday, Jason Parsell and Danielle Hanson recovered and were cleared by health authorities and allowed into the community before later developing symptoms again and being reclassified as positive.
2.45pm: SICK AND INJURED PRESENT TO REOPENED ED
SICK and injured people are again accessing emergency services at the decontaminated North West Regional Hospital with 40 presentations recorded in the three days since the department was reopened using imported specialists.
The ED reopened on Friday after five days of intense deep cleaning prompted by a deadly cluster of infections among hospital staff and patients.
Between then and Sunday night, Australian Medical Assistance Team medicos treated 40 presentations.
1.20pm: 3D-PRINTED PPE GEAR SHIPMENT ENROUTE
FRONTLINE healthcare workers in Launceston have been sent 500 3D-printed face shields created by RMIT engineers in a rapid response to projected shortages during the pandemic.
A team at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology’s Advanced Manufacturing Precinct (AMP) have so far made 950 prototype face shields to help protect clinicians from airborne droplets that can carry COVID-19.
AMP director Professor Milan Brandt said those on the frontline had spoken out in recent weeks about the dire shortage of protective equipment in Australia and major hospitals in Victoria and Tasmania have contacted AMP for advice on manufacturing solutions.
12.30pm: DANGER NOT OVER FOR AGED CARE HOMES IN NORTH-WEST
RESIDENTS and staff working across three aged care homes in Tasmania’s North West are under active surveillance and will be retested if they show any early signs of being infected with the coronavirus.
While Deputy Director of Public Health Scott McKeown said it was “very reassuring” that only one of the 500 tests of residents and staff tested across Coroneagh Park in Penguin, Eliza Purton in Ulverstone and Melaleuca in East Devonport returned a positive result.
“But that doesn’t mean a resident or staff member cannot still develop the disease,” Dr McKeown said.
“If they display any early signs they will be retested.”
Before quarantined staff members return to work in Tasmania’s aged care sector or hospitals they must return two negative tests in 24 hours.
The female resident at Melaleuca who tested positive is being treated in the Launceston General Hospital.
11.30am: RHH K-BLOCK RECEPTION OPENS
HEALTH minister Sarah Courtney has announced the opening of K-Block, the Royal Hobart Hospital’s much-dogged facility.
At the state’s daily briefing on COVID-19 Ms Courtney confirmed the K-Block reception opened this morning with patient admissions on-track to open tomorrow.
“I am very excited that the K-Block reception has opened,” she said.
“In the coming days we’ll see the transit lounge open. [With the pandemic] we know there is increased pressure on resources and so having the capacity of the K-Block facility is very welcome.”
Ms Courtney says while the Government has taken operational control over K-Block some ongoing design issues with the facility persist. Elevated levels of lead in the building’s drinking water and problems with the airconditioning are some of the recent issues that have led to the delay. But Ms Courtney insists that the new wing is safe.
“I assure you that K-Block is safe,” she said.
“I will not put any staff member or patient in K-Block unless it is fit for purpose.
11am Monday: WATCH THE PREMIER’S DAILY ADDRESS HERE
9.45pm Sunday: NINE NEW CASES OF CORONAVIRUS, 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 Sunday: 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.
Experts push for double shot as new Covid wave looms
As deaths from Covid continue, Tasmanians are being urged to get boosters and flu shots with doctors saying infection rates are “taking off and complacency is setting in”. LATEST FIGURES >>
Covid-safety urged as daily case numbers decline
The pace of Tasmania’s winter Covid wave is slowing but the public is urged to remain vigilant. LATEST FIGURES >>