DAILY BLOG, April 6: All the latest news on the coronavirus crisis
Two more staff at the North West Regional Hospital have tested positive for coronavirus, with the Tasmanian Health Service announcing it is closing the NWRH and the Mersey Community Hospital to visitors.
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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
- The state’s coronavirus infections have risen to 74
- Racing, betting banned, retail and trades could be next
- Campers have been fined for flouting lockdown regulations
Have questions about business and retail or how your movements are restricted?
8.45pm: MORE HOSPITAL STAFF TEST POSITIVE
TWO of the new cases of coronavirus announced on Monday night are staff at the North West Regional Hospital.
Chief Medical Officer Professor Tony Lawler said it takes the number of NWRH staff who have tested positive for coronavirus in this outbreak to six. An inpatient has also previously tested positive.
A healthcare worker at the Mersey Community Hospital tested positive to the virus about a week ago.
“An outbreak management team is already identifying and contacting any person who has had close contact with either of these two staff and will ensure necessary actions are taken,” Prof Lawler said.
“If any staff member or patient is determined to be a close contact of these cases, they will be contacted and advised of what action they need to take.
“While it may be necessary for other staff and patients to be tested for coronavirus, this will occur as investigations progress. We will assess and test any staff member who is symptomatic and any patient who is symptomatic and determined to be at risk of coronavirus.”
Prof Lawler said Public Health Services was taking every action to ensure possible contacts are identified as quickly as possible.
“We acknowledge the current situation is creating concern, both for staff and for the community,” he said.
“The safety of our patients and our dedicated staff remain our highest priority, and there may be some disruption to normal hospital operations while our investigation continues.
“From tonight, the Tasmanian Health Service is closing the NWRH and the Mersey Community Hospital to visitors, with exceptions only to be granted on compassionate grounds.
“In addition to this, from tonight, Ambulance Tasmania will transport any emergency patients from the Devonport region to Launceston General Hospital, as a temporary measure to reduce the workload on the NWRH whilst staff are managing the current outbreak.”
7.05pm: THREE MORE CORONAVIRUS CASES IN TASMANIA
Tasmania has confirmed three more cases of coronavirus since 6pm on Sunday night.
This brings the state’s tally to 89.
Public Health Director Dr Mark Veitch said two of the cases are women and one is a man. One is from southern Tasmania while the other two are from the North-West. Two are aged in their 50s and one is in their 80s.
Further information about the cases will be released 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.
4.25pm: VIRUS OUTBREAK ‘A WAKE-UP CALL’
AN outbreak of coronavirus in a hospital in the state’s North-West will not be the last experienced in state health facilities during the pandemic, Premier Peter Gutwein has warned.
Four health workers at North West Regional Hospital in Burnie and one patient who spent time there have now been diagnosed with the virus.
Mr Gutwein said the state would likely experience further outbreaks of coronavirus within hospitals.
“It’s a wake-up call. This is serious. This is deadly. It has already taken lives and as I have said before, unfortunately it will take more.”
3.10pm: MANDATORY SELF-ISOLATION IN PLACE ‘TO SAVE LIVES’
A MAN arrested for flouting mandatory quarantine rules at a Government-run accommodation in Launceston slipped past security to leave the facility, it has been revealed.
Police said the 50-year-old was arrested on Sunday after reports he was refusing to abide by isolation requirements after returning to Tasmania from Victoria.
Investigations showed the man had committed a number of breaches of the quarantine rules, Inspector Craig Fox said on Sunday.
2.10pm: RETAILERS TOLD COMPLY WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING OR BE SHUT DOWN
PREMIER Peter Gutwein has issued a stern warning to retailers in Tasmania amid the coronavirus crisis — comply with social distancing requirements or be shut down.
And Mr Gutwein again renewed his calls for people to stay home, after noticing gatherings in retail areas and lack of adherence to guidelines designed to stop the spread of the virus.
The Premier on Monday again urged people to stay home unless they absolutely needed to go out, including to go to work or to buy essential supplies.
12.20pm: CAMPAIGN PROMISES 2 FOR 1 DRINKS
If you’re counting down the days until you can chuck back a few beers at your local pub and want to support them in the meantime, a new campaign is helping consumers do just that.
11.30am: FRUIT PICKERS TO STAY ON FOR HARVEST
Tasmania’s apple, pear, wine grape and berry harvests are well underway and fruit growers have welcomed news that temporary changes to visa arrangements will allow foreign pickers to stay and work here during the coronavirus crisis.
10.30am: HEALTH AUTHORITIES DEEM NORTH-WEST CASES AN ‘OUTBREAK’
There are now five coronavirus infections associated with the North West Regional Hospital – four healthcare workers and one patient – and health authorities have deemed it an outbreak.
10am: DON’T GO TO THE SHACK, PREMIER INSTRUCTS
Premier Peter Gutwein has reiterated his message for the Easter long weekend: “Don’t go the the shack.” In his daily briefing, Mr Gutwein says Tasmanians need to come together to protect those most vulnerable in the community: our elderly.
7am, Monday: RUBY PRINCESS FACES CRIMINAL PROBE
A CRIMINAL investigation will be launched into how cruise line operator Carnival Australia was allowed to disembark Ruby Princess passengers in Sydney, resulting in several deaths and COVID-19 outbreaks throughout the country.
10pm, Sunday: FOUR NEW TASMANIAN VIRUS CASES
FOUR more cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Tasmania on Sunday.
In a brief statement issued on Sunday night, Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said the four new cases — three female and one male — brought the state’s total to 86.
Dr Veitch said two of the cases were from the state’s North while the other two were from the North-West.
9pm: ELECTIONS PUT OFF TO AUGUST
TWO of the state’s Legislative Council elections will be deferred to protect Tasmanians against the spread of coronavirus, meaning the two electorates will be without representation for about three months — or longer.
Attorney-General Elise Archer said while the elections were an important part of the democratic process, the State Government needed to ensure strong measures were in place to minimise risk of coronavirus infection.
“The Government believes that the elections should not be put off indefinitely to ensure people in the two divisions of Huon and Rosevears have proper representation,” she said on Sunday.
“It is therefore our aim, subject to Public Health circumstances at the time, to hold these elections before the Legislative Council is to sit again on the 25th of August this year.”
8.30pm: MORE HOMEWORK THAN EVER FOR TASSIE STUDENTS
NOW in their final year of school, things are looking very different for Tasmania’s year 12 students.
Hutchins student Max Denehey said school had just started to ramp up when the coronavirus pandemic hit the state, with things changing rapidly.
However, despite the upheaval, he said studying online had so far been a positive experience.
6pm: SCREWS TIGHTEN TO LIMIT EASTER INFECTIONS
WITH the Easter holidays fast approaching, stricter measures will be implemented across the state to ensure Tasmanians comply with the rules created to keep them safe.
Premier Peter Gutwein on Sunday announced strengthened measures to protect communities.
From Wednesday, April 8 to Monday, April 27, Tasmanians will only be able to launch their boats from within the municipality of their primary residence.
5.30pm: FEARS FOR FARMERS’ MARKET
A SHUTDOWN of Hobart’s Farmgate Market could come as a blow to many.
Stallholder Neil Fuller, of Surges Bay Orchard, said he was impressed with the efforts Hobartians and market organisers had put in to keeping Farmgate safe.
However, with Premier Peter Gutwein voicing his disappointment with the market, Mr Fuller said if it were to shut down it would be a “considerable” blow to his and many other stalls.
3.30pm: PREMIER FLAGS MARKET CLOSURE
PREMIER Peter Gutwein said today could be the last day for Hobart’s Farmgate Market.
He acknowledged the good job organisers had done to ensure compliance with the guidelines, however it was not enough.
“I’ve received first-hand reports this morning from Public Health that they have major concerns about what’s been occurring,” he said.
“To be frank I’ll be looking at this later today, but I think today is the last day for the farmers market.”
2.30pm: MAN CHARGED WITH QUARANTINE BREACHES
A TASMANIAN man who recently arrived home from Victoria and was placed in a government coronavirus quarantine facility in Launceston has been charged with not complying with isolation requirements.
Since last week, local residents returning to the State have been taken directly from the airport to hotels being run by the State Government to ensure they stay in quarantine for 14 days before returning into the community.
Police said they received complaints that a 50-year-old man at a facility in Launceston was not complying with COVID 19 isolation requirements.
1.20pm: BURNIE HOSPITAL CLOSED TO NEW PATIENTS
BURNIE’S North West Regional Hospital will not take any new admissions to its medical or surgical wards as investigations into how three health care workers became infected with COVID-19 continue.
The outbreak investigation began on Friday night to try to pinpoint which hospital patients and other staff members might be impacted.
At least 18 health care workers connected with the three infected hospital staff are now in quarantine.
Two workers at the hospital returned positive tests on Friday. Another, a female health are worker in her 20s was found to be infected on Saturday.
Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch said all three workers had spent time in one setting at the hospital.
11.30am: BOAT RULES TIGHTENED FOR EASTER
Premier Peter Gutwein has revealed at today’s coronavirus briefing that there will be tighter rules around coastal boat ramps to prevent unnecessary fishing trips over Easter.
The rules will mean fishers will only be allowed to launch boats in the municipality of their primary residence. Mr Gutwein said the measures are designed to protect coastal communities over the Easter break.
“We are asking people to stay at home,” he said
“This is not a time to sit back and say ‘this is can't happen to me.’ This can affect you, your children and your parents.
“This is serious.”
Watch the replay today’s briefing below
10am: TASMANIANS GOOD AT STAYING AT HOME
Commuting to work has dropped by a third in Australia, the use of public transport has more than halved and, despite concerns about panic-buying, visits to the grocery store and pharmacy are down by almost 20 per cent since last month.
Revealing new statistics also show that Tasmania is leading all Australian states in taking social distancing rules more seriously.
8am: WOMAN TELLS OF COVID-19 HEARTBREAK
A Tasmanian woman has described her final moments with her partner in the Royal Hobart Hospital after he was diagnosed with coronavirus following a cruise around New Zealand.
Maureen Dawes has told of how she was unable to cuddle her partner Len Fisher, 81, before he died in the Royal Hobart Hospital last Monday after contracting the virus on the Ruby Princess cruise ship.
“I couldn’t give him a cuddle. I could do nothing. Nothing,” she said.
9pm Sat: THIRD HOSPITAL WORKER TESTS POSITIVE TO VIRUS
A THIRD hospital worker in the state’s North-West has tested positive to coronavirus.
In a statement on Saturday evening, Chief Medical Officer Tony Lawler said another North West Regional Hospital worker aged in her 20s was among two Tasmanians to contract the virus, while revealing a female child as the other case.
He said the two latest cases — bringing the state’s count to 82 — were from the state’s North and North-West.
8pm Sat: ROCKLIFF EASES SCHOOL CONFUSION
WITH confusion still surrounding the plans for next term, Education Minister and Deputy Premier Jeremy Rockliff wanted to make things clear.
Term 2 will commence on April 28, he said, and the set-up will be exactly as it was on Friday: “in other words, most of the learning will be at home.”
Four professional learning days next week for all government school staff will look at the best ways to deliver alternative learning packages both online and offline.
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