Premier not considering shutting borders

The closing of Tasmania’s borders is not being considered amid the coronavirus outbreak, Premier Peter Gutwein says.

THE closing of Tasmania’s borders is not being considered amid the coronavirus outbreak, Premier Peter Gutwein says.

He addressed the media this morning alongside Health Minister Sarah Courtney and Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch.

“We will not be stopping trade, we will not be closing our borders,’’ Mr Gutwein said.

“The clothes we are wearing today, the food we ate this morning for breakfast, and in many cases the medical supplies ... these things come across our borders, and they must continue to cross our borders.”

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He said the Government would continue to take “proportionate and scalable steps” to manage the threat of coronavirus.

Mr Gutwein again ruled out closing schools at this stage, saying it continued to take advice from health experts.

Mr Gutwein said he was involved in another meeting of national cabinet last night to discuss national and state responses to COVID-19.

Dr Veitch said there are seven confirmed cases of coronavirus in Tasmania. Three of them have recovered and gone home, while four are still receiving medical care.

Eighty-eight people are in self-quarantine and are being monitored by staff in the public health department.

More than 400 tests have been completed in the state for coronavirus and Dr Veitch said at any given time, between 50 and 100 tests are going through the testing process.

Dr Veitch said Tasmania did have enough testing capacity and that the state had been following national testing guidelines.

But he said those guidelines were likely to be expanded in coming weeks.

Health Minister Sarah Courtney was asked whether Tasmania had enough capacity in intensive care unit beds to manage severe cases of coronavirus.

“We have 43 ICU beds and the department is currently looking at how we can expand physical capacity and how we bring more equipment online,’’ she said.

Meanwhile, Mr Gutwein said 104 people had filled in an arrivals card in Tasmania since it was introduced this week to manage people who have travelled from overseas.

Mr Gutwein said the card was “a direction, it is mandated” and that it was an offence not to fill one out if you had travelled from overseas.

“This is a difficult time, but we are well prepared,’’ he said.

“I would urge Tasmanians to remain calm, but be responsible.”

He said people should be mindful of social distancing and take care in their engagement with the community.

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