Health authorities probe potential new coronavirus case in Tasmania with “unclear” test result

Parts of Tasmania have not recorded new cases of COVID-19 for several weeks, leaving health officials puzzled as to the origins of a new “unclear” test result.

A POTENTIAL new case of coronavirus is being investigated with health officials revealing there had been “a borderline test with an unclear result” in the state’s South.

The person has been in isolation since becoming unwell, with close contacts now being identified and placed into quarantine as a precaution.

No further details about the person have been divulged, but officials stressed the instance was not yet considered to be a confirmed case.

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The state’s South has not had a confirmed case of coronavirus for almost three weeks.

Acting Director of Public Health Scott McKeown said it was the first time in Tasmania during the COVID-19 pandemic that such a situation had arisen.

“Any test does have a threshold at which a test goes from negative to being positive,’’ he said.

“This test is in a borderline region where further assessment of the circumstances of the person and testing needs to occur and that will occur with the Public Health safety around this situation over the next couple of days.”

Acting Director of Public Health Dr Scott McKeown. Picture Chris Kidd

Dr McKeown said Public Health Services was taking a precautionary approach to the situation to manage any potential community health risk.

More information about the case could be known as soon as Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a testing blitz across the state and particularly in the North West is seeing several hundred COVID-19 screens being done every day.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney said that on Monday, 744 people presented to respiratory clinics across the state, with 619 of them in the North West.

Ms Courtney said a mobile testing bus stationed at Smithton would return to the town on Wednesday after temporarily departing on Tuesday to be restocked and to allow for a change in the operating crew.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney. Picture: Zak Simmonds

Dr McKeown said the amount of testing done in recent days was pleasing and encouraged anyone displaying even mild symptoms to get tested, regardless of what region they were in.

“Our key public health message at the moment is, anywhere in the state, if you have the mildest of symptoms, whether they be cold or flu-like symptoms, a runny nose, sore throat, a cough, a fever, please get tested. Please contact your GP or call the Public Health hotline,’’ he said.

“Help us to get on top of coronavirus and to stamp it out in the community.

“The North West community has been through three very difficult weeks and we are working very hard to pick up any further cases in the community and across the state but to stop the spread we have to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

As of Tuesday morning, there had been 214 confirmed cases across the state — more than two-thirds of them in the North-West — and 135 of them have recovered from the illness.

Eleven people have died in Tasmania due to the virus.