Tasmania records 48th Covid-related death

Tasmania’s death toll from the Covid pandemic has risen again as the state records another 958 new cases. LATEST FIGURES + COVID NEWS >>>

Tasmania’s death toll from the Covid-19 pandemic has risen again with the death of a woman in her 70s in the Launceston General Hospital overnight.

Her death takes the toll since the pandemic started in 2020 to 48

The State recorded 958 new cases in the latest reporting period to take the total number of active cases to just under 7000.

The number of people in hospital with COVID is 38, with 11 being treated specifically for COVID. One person is in ICU.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said he extended his sincere condolences to the woman’s family, friends, and loved ones.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“This death is not related to the current LGH outbreak,” he said.

As of Monday afternoon that outbreak involved seven patients.

“We are continuing to see day to day fluctuations in case numbers, but overall, cases are trending downwards across the last seven days compared to the peak seen earlier this month.

“Our hospitalisations remain among the lowest in the nation, and we expect to see the number of people in hospital for COVID decline over the next few weeks.”

Mr Rockliff again encouraged parents/guardians of children aged 5-11 years, who have not yet been vaccinated, to find time during the last days of the school holidays to get their children vaccinated.

Vaccinations continue to be available at the following state-run clinics:

• Burnie Arts & Function Centre, Tooday, 9am-3pm;
• Clarence High School, 29-30 April, 9am-4:30pm
• The Don Centre, Devonport, 27- 28 April, 9am-3pm;
• Montrose Bay High School, Glenorchy 26-30 April, 9am-4:30pm;
• PWI, Hobart, 26-29 April, 9am-4:30pm;
• Huonville Town Hall, 30 April, 9am-3:30pm;
• The Old Transit Centre, Launceston, 28-29 April, 9am-4:30pm;
• Rosny Park Bowls Club, 26-27 April, 9am-4:45pm;
• Scottsdale Squash Centre, 30 April, 9am-12pm; and
• Sorell School, 1 May, 9am-12pm.

To book an appointment for a COVID-19 or flu vaccine, or to find out more information visit coronavirus.tas.gov.au

Tasmania’s Covid cases continue to drop with no new deaths - Monday, April 25

Another 876 Tasmanians have become infected with Covid-19 in the latest reporting period but no more virus-related deaths have been recorded.

Tasmania posted three more covid-related deaths last week to take the total since the pandemic began in 2020 to 47.

All up, more than 130,000 Tasmanians - more than a fifth of the population - have now had the virus and recovered.

New case numbers have been falling steadily since last week and were again below 1000 overnight.

The state government has not yet told the public if, or when, it plans to relax close contact rules to prevent whole households being out of the workforce for weeks at a time.

NSW and Victoria have scrapped their close contact isolation requirements.

Forty three people are in Tamanian hospitals with Covid but only 10 are being treated specifically for Covid-19 symptoms and one is receiving care in ICU.

Calls for kids to roll up their sleeves - Sunday, April 24

Parents are being urged to have their children vaccinated in the final week of school holidays.

State Health Commander Dale Webster said while the state’s vaccination rate for children aged five to 11 was above the national average, it had slowed.

“We’re way ahead of the other states but we want to get a lot more children vaccinated,” Mr Webster said.

“It’s important even if a child has had Covid that when they’ve recovered they get vaccinated.

“A second dose helps build a child’s immunity.”

At Princes Wharf No. 1 in Hobart on Saturday, Ethan Little, 9, was happy to have his second vaccination.

Vaccination Nurse, Cindy Fenton and Ethan, 9 who received his Covid-19 vaccination. Picture: Linda Higginson

His mother Isabelle Little said Ethan had contracted Covid after an outbreak in his grade four class at the Friends School.

“He had one vaccination and got Covid but bounced back after a few days,” Ms Little said.

“He had a fever, sore throat, runny nose and aches and pains but the fever was the worst.”

Ms Little who was treated for breast cancer in 2019 and her husband who is immunosuppressed and Ethan’s older brother all contracted the virus and had flu like symptoms but were not too unwell.

“It was like a bad flu,” she said.

“My husband used Covid at Home which was very helpful.”

Mr Webster said 64 per cent of Tasmanian children aged five to 11 had had their first vaccination compared to the national average of 52 per cent while 49 per cent had their second dose compared with just 35 per cent nationally.

“It has slowed Australia wide in that cohort,” he said.

Children do not have to have a booster vaccination.

Vaccination clinics will be open on Sunday and re-open on Tuesday and through the week and bookings are not essential.

New death as cases remain over 1200 - Saturday, April 23

Another Tasmanian has died with Covid.

The woman aged in her late 70s died at a residential care facility in southern Tasmania.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff extended his condolences to the woman’s family and loved ones “at this extremely difficult time”.

The latest Public Health data shows there were 1212 new cases recorded overnight, slightly down from 1265 on Friday.

The number of people in hospital has increased to 44 but only nine are being treated specifically for Covid.

No-one is being treated in intensive care and there are currently 8585 active cases..

Mr Rockliff said while there were day to day fluctuations, cases had “trended downwards” in the past week.

“Our hospitalisations remain among the lowest in the nation, and we expect to see the number of people in hospital for Covid decline over the next few weeks,” he said..

“However, the most important thing Tasmanians can do is to continue to roll up their sleeves and get your vaccination or your booster if it’s due, to keep yourself and the community safe and continue to practice Covid safe behaviours.”

Two dead with Covid in aged care, virus spreads in RHH - Friday, April 22

Two aged care residents in their 90s have died with Covid-19 and Royal Hobart Hospital has been hit with cases as the state records 1265 new cases in the last 24 hour reporting window.

Two patients on a non-Covid medical ward have tested positive for COVID-19 at the Royal Hobart Hospital.

An ‘Incident Management Group’ has convened to manage the cases and conduct contact tracing.

“All other patients on the ward are receiving PCR tests. Contact tracing is also being undertaken with patients and staff,” State Health Commander Dale Webster said.

“Patients will continue to be monitored for symptoms over the next five to seven days with testing as advised by the Incident Management Group.”

The medical ward was closed to non-Covid admissions and visitors while cases were managed.

According to Mr Webster, the patients were experiencing minor symptoms.

“Members of the public should be reassured that it is safe to attend the RHH as required,” he said.

“While the incident has affected one ward, all other areas of the hospital continue to operate.”

It marks the second spread of Covid through Tasmanian hospitals this week after four patients from a non-Covid ward at the Launceston General Hospital had tested positive to coronavirus on Tuesday.

The premier said cases are “trending downwards” with 1440 cases recovered and released from isolation in that same period.

The state currently has 8,609 active cases.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said hospitalisations with Covid-19 had also decreased to 41, with 12 of these being treated specifically for Covid, and one being cared for in the ICU.

“Sadly, I can confirm that two women, both in their late 90s, have passed away at residential aged care facilities in the state’s south,” he said

“I extend my sincere condolences to the women’s family, friends, and loved ones in this extremely difficult and sad time.”

“We are continuing to see day to day fluctuations in case numbers, but overall, cases are trending downwards across the last seven days compared to the peak seen earlier this month.”

“Our hospitalisations remain among the lowest in the nation, and we expect to see the number of people in hospital for Covid decline over the next few weeks.”

Debate flares up over calls to scrap close contact rules – Thursday, April 21

LOCAL business groups have escalated their call for Tasmania to scrap its close contact rules in line with a decision by both NSW and Victoria to axe the work-crippling rules.

The call comes as Tasmania records another Covid-19 death with a man in his 60s dying in the Royal Hobart Hospital overnight Wednesday.

Tasmanian Small Business Council CEO Robert Mallett said his organisation was keen to see the close contact rules – under which a family member or housemate of someone with the virus needs to isolate for seven days – scrapped.

He said the rule needlessly forced employees to stay away from work despite not having Covid-19.

Tasmanian Small Business Council CEO Robert Mallett. Picture: Chris Kidd

But the Tasmanian Greens want Tasmania to stand firm and keep the rules in place.

Mr Mallett said with the bulk of the community vaccinated, falling rates of hospitalisation and the plateauing of Covid cases, close contact rules should be scrapped.

“Put simply, if people think they have Covid-19 or are showing symptoms, they should take a Rapid Antigen Test and if it is positive stay at home. If people are testing themselves solely because a contact has Covid and they return a negative test, they should return to work,” Mr Mallett said.

The Tasmanian tourism industry enjoyed a bumper Easter period with the Great Lakes being inundated with visitors and the Great Lake Hotel reporting it served up more than 800 meals over the long weekend.

But worker absenteeism continues to impact the hospitality sector and the Tasmanian Industry Council of Tasmania has also called for the close contact rules to be relaxed.

The call comes as Tasmania recorded another 1468 cases of the virus in the last reporting period.

There are 20 people in hospital being treated specifically for Covid-19 and one patient in ICU.

The number of active cases across the State sits at 8813.

Premier Jeremy Rockliff said the Tasmanian Government had been consistent in being guided by public health advice and that would continue.

Madeleine Ogilvie, Minister Small Business, also announced a fourth round of the COVID-19 Business Impact Support Program had opened to assist businesses that experienced trading losses or a significant reduction in customer demand due to Covid-19 between March 15 and April 14.

Head of the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce, Michael Bailey, echoed Mr Mallett’s calls, saying too many businesses were being forced to close due to the close contact rules.

“It is time to get the state of Tasmania working again,” Mr Bailey said.

“Now is the time for people to return to the workplace, not sit at home perfectly well because a loved one has the virus.”

Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff on parliament Lawns on April 12, 2022.

Greens Health spokesman Dr Rosalie Woodruff said, given the Covid-19 situation in Tasmania, the State should not follow NSW and Victoria in removing close contact quarantine rules.

“The State’s Covid infection rate is the highest in the nation, with almost one in four Tasmanians having contracted the virus,” Dr Woodruff said.

“Cases have not peaked, with over a thousand new cases still being reported every day. “