Another Tasmanian dies with Covid, Eight in ten schools report Covid cases as infection numbers rise

Another Tasmanian has died with Covid overnight as cases of the virus have been reported in students from 80 per cent of government schools. LATEST >>

Another Tasmanian has died with Covid overnight bringing the state’s death toll to 25 since the borders reopened in December.

The tragedy comes as the state records 851 cases on Friday taking Tasmania’s active cases up to 4525.

11 people are in hospital with Covid but only four are being specifically treated for the virus while two patients remain in intensive care.

99% of Tasmanians over the age of 12 have received their first dose of the vaccination while 96.6% have received two doses.

Eight in ten Tassie schools have Covid cases

Thursday February 25

Covid cases have been reported in students from 80 per cent of government schools, Premier Peter Gutwein said on Thursday.

There has been at least one case reported at 156 of the 195 government schools in the two weeks of term one, Mr Gutwein said.

There were 853 new cases of Covid-19 recorded in the community overnight, the highest daily figure since January 19.

Daily new case numbers are up 36 per cent in a week and 48 per cent since schools went back.

Mr Gutwein said 646 people were released from isolation after recovering. Tasmania has a total of 4297 active cases with 37,606 people having recovered.

There are 12 people in hospital with Covid, three of whom are being treated specifically for Covid. Two people are in intensive care.

The Premier said the figures in all cases were in line with expectations but urged people to take the usual precautions, including ensuring they were vaccinated.

“While we have seen a slight uptick in cases over the last few days, this is not unexpected,” he told reporters.

“We always knew that when we opened up our schools and with more movement and both children and parents, that we would see an increase in cases.

“But it’s pleasing that the last couple of days, there has been a flattening of that increase. “Now as we’ve seen other states, who returned a couple of weeks ahead of us, it’s exactly what they went through as well.”

Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff.

Greens health spokeswoman said the high case numbers meant it was premature to talk about winding back the current mask mandates.

“Why was it okay to have mask mandates last week when cases where an average of 550 but they’re talking about getting rid of them this week when they’re in the 850s? There’s no logic there,” she said.

“This is a dangerous talk from the Premier and it’s totally delusional, it runs at complete odds with the evidence that Omicron is spreading strongly in the community.

“This is not a crisis which is waning and it shows a total disregard for people who are most vulnerable, people living with disabilities, people who are immune-compromised, and all children under 12, who are not yet vaccinated.

Follow @DavidJKillick