One of six people diagnosed with coronavirus in Tasmania recovers

One Tasmanian coronavirus patient has recovered and been cleared to leave isolation.

ONE OF the six people in Tasmania diagnosed with coronavirus has recovered, been cleared by health authorities and is out of isolation.

The virus hit Tasmania’s shores at the start of the month, with the first case identified on March 2.

The patient’s release from isolation comes as authorities confirm the most recent case — a 60-year-old woman diagnosed on Saturday — was the travel companion and close contact of one of the other infected people and had not been mixing in the community.

“She was already in isolation when she was confirmed positive. Her close contacts have been identified and contacted by PHS,” Acting Director of Public Health Scott McKeown said.

Scott McKeown. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

The woman’s diagnosis follows five other cases, including a 40-year-old man in Launceston who had travelled from Iran and a 20-year-old man in Hobart who had flown in from Nepal via Singapore and Sydney.

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Those cases were followed by the diagnosis of a 30-year-old woman in Hobart on March 11 who had arrived in Tasmania from South America via Sydney.

Two people were diagnosed on March 13, a woman in her 40s in Launceston who had arrived in Tasmania from the Philippines and a man in his 60s in Hobart who had been to North America.

Dr McKeown said people identified as close contacts of these cases had been advised by Public Health Services and placed in self-quarantine for 14 days where they receive daily follow-up from staff.

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All six cases were directly linked to people or involve people who have arrived in Tasmania from overseas.

As of noon yesterday, 359 tests for coronavirus had been carried out in Tasmania.

“The risk to Tasmanians from casual contact with a confirmed case is very low,” Dr McKeown said.

Anyone who develops respiratory symptoms within 14 days of returning from overseas should self-quarantine and ring the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or contact your GP.

The situation with coronavirus is changing regularly. People can stay up to date by visiting the Tasmanian Department of Health coronavirus website at http://www.health.tas.gov.au/coronavirus or the Australian Government Department of Health website at https://www.health.gov.au/.

Anyone requiring more information about coronavirus should contact the National coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080.

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