Daily blog, Sunday March 29: Latest rolling updates on the coronavirus pandemic
Four new cases of coronavirus have been confirmed in Tasmania, bringing the number of cases diagnosed in the state to 66. REPLAY THE PREMIER’S DAILY ADDRESS
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8.15pm: FOUR NEW CORONAVIRUS CASES CONFIRMED
FOUR new cases of coronavirus were confirmed in Tasmania on Sunday, bringing the number of cases diagnosed in the state to 66.
Three cases were associated with the cruise ship Ovation of the Seas and one with Voyager of the Seas. All of these cases were already in self quarantine.
7.20pm: UTAS CUTS NON-SALARY EXPENDITURE, INCREASES LEAVE
VICE-Chancellor Rufus Black says the University of Tasmania is “prioritising staff”, announcing an additional two weeks of coronavirus leave and non-salary expenditure cuts.
The announcement came as UTAS shifts its operations online.
Prof Black said the move would protect and support the “very talented workforce” at UTAS through the pandemic.
6pm: STEP TOWARDS ‘FORTRESS TASMANIA’
FROM midnight Sunday, Australia’s toughest border security measures will come into place.
All non-essential travellers into the state by air or port, including Tasmanians, will now go into one of the state’s mandatory isolation centres.
Premier Peter Gutwein made no apologies for ensuring our island home would be our fortress.
3pm: FREE TRAVEL IN BID TO BOOST BUS SAFETY
METRO Tasmania is offering free travel for two weeks in a bid to reduce cash transactions and increase staff and passenger safety.
Acting CEO Darren Carey said the two-week window – running until April 10 – would allow time for passengers to obtain a Greencard for safer contactless payment.
12.55pm: LOCK THE STATE DOWN, SCIENTISTS WARN
BIOSTATISTICIANS have warned that Tasmania, with its current rate of COVID-19 infection growth, could reach 500 cases as soon as April and run out of intensive care bed capacity once that number hit 1000.
Megan Higgie and Ben Phillips said Tasmania was currently doubling its COVID-19 cases every 3.4 days, and could have between 215 and 581 coronavirus cases by April 6.
With only 50 ICU beds available for a ballpark 5 per cent of infected people who become critically ill with the virus, Dr Higgie warned Tasmania could soon reach peak hospital capacity once the state had 1000 cases.
12.40pm: STATE SET FOR INCREASED LOCKDOWN MEASURES
FURTHER lockdown measures in Tasmania are imminent, with Premier Peter Gutwein intending to take steps to stay in line with measures being taken in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
More than 1000 quarantine compliance checks have been completed, with about 98 per cent of people found to be complying. However there is a possibility some people may be charged, with interviews underway.
Mr Gutwein again urged Tasmanians to stay at home, after many people headed out of their suburbs and to the beach on Saturday.
“Travelling between your home and your shack increases the risk in these communities,” he said.
Health Minister Sarah Courtney said investigations were continuing into two of the state’s positive cases in the Devonport area, including the healthcare worker from the Mersey Community Hospital.
People living in the area are urged to strictly follow social distancing guidelines and to stay at home unless absolutely necessary.
About 1800 tests have been completed in the state.
12pm: PREMIER’S LIVE DAILY BRIEFING
Watch Premier Peter Gutwein and Health Minister Sarah Courtney deliver their daily coronavirus briefing:
11.30am: BUSINESSES WORKING OUT NEW BATTLE PLANS
LIFE as a small business operator can be tough at the best of times.
But local business owners in the retail, hospitality, food, fitness and arts industries are now being threatened by a global health crisis.
Hobart fitness instructor Hannah McDonald is among the savvy business owners adapting and evolving to meet the challenges of COVID-19.
Ms McDonald – who runs Burn Theory, a boxing and barre studio in Mathers Lane in the Hobart CBD – has devised what she’s calling the “corona battle plan”.
Concerned that members were struggling to make it to classes due to working from home and self-isolation, she came up with a plan to bring her studio to Tassie living rooms.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL STORY
10.20am: PM TO UNVEIL $1.1 BILLION MENTAL HEALTH PACKAGE
AUSTRALIANS will be able to access vital medical and mental health services in their own home using their telephone, as part of a billion dollar boost to save lives.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will today unveil a $1.1 billion package, with hundreds of millions of dollars flowing to mental health and domestic violence support services as well as frontline charities.
The bulk of the money — $669 million — will fund Medicare-subsidised telehealth services for all Australians for six months, freeing up GP waiting rooms and hospitals and allowing the sick to access care.
To tackle the second wave of the coronavirus, Australians suffering mental health concerns or domestic violence will also have greater access to support services.
9am: AUSSIE HOSPITALS TO SHUT
AUSTRALIAN private and Catholic hospitals are about to be closed and their staff stood down, putting 100,000 workers out of a job, just as the hospital system is about to buckle under the weight of coronavirus admissions.
The catastrophe is the result of a failure of state and federal governments to come up with a financial solution for the hospitals after they banned non-elective surgery at a national cabinet meeting earlier this week.
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10.15pm, Saturday: HEALTHCARE WORKER INFECTION A ‘WAKE-UP CALL’
A HEALTHCARE worker employed at a hospital in Tasmania’s North-West who later tested positive for coronavirus spent no more than 30 minutes at work while infectious, authorities say.
Acting Director of Public Health Scott McKeown said initial investigations into the case showed the worker was only at the Mersey Community Hospital at Latrobe, near Devonport, for a short time before going home due to feeling unwell.
They were tested on Thursday for coronavirus and a positive result was returned on Friday.
The investigation into how the person contracted the infection is ongoing.
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9.30pm Saturday: HUNT ON FOR ANOTHER CRUISE SHIP’S LINK TO STATE
YET another cruise ship where passengers disembarked in Sydney has recorded a case of coronavirus, as officials work to determine if there were any Tasmanians on board.
Tasmanian health authorities were told on Friday night of a confirmed case of COVID-19 from a passenger on board the Sun Princess that docked in Sydney on March 19.
Acting Director of Public Health Scott McKeown said the case had been diagnosed interstate.
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