Covid outbreaks reported in multiple Tasmanian schools

An email to parents and carers from a southern state school has shown a list of classes attended by a Covid-positive student on Thursday.

An email to parents and carers from a southern state school has shown a list of classes attended by a Covid-positive student.

In a bid to stay on top of Covid-19 reporting and contact tracing, Taroona High School has sent out a list of classes attended by a high school student who has tested positive to the virus.

The email, addressed to parents and carers, was sent to keep the school community in the loop.

Taroona High School. Picture: RICHARD JUPE

“Today we have been advised of a positive Covid-19 result from a student who presented in the below classes on Thursday,” the email reads.

The email then shares details of the student’s home group, and various classes they attended including maths, science and “body and mind”.

It comes amid three coronavirus outbreaks in schools in the independent sector.

The Department of Health is monitoring the outbreaks.

Covid outbreaks reported in multiple Tasmanian schools

TASMANIANS are being encouraged to get their booster jabs — which are now required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

Premier Peter Gutwein said national cabinet met on Thursday afternoon to consider updated advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation.

“Under the changes, which were welcomed by national cabinet and certainly been accepted by the Tasmanian Government, a person must have completed all doses recommended for their age and individual health needs to be deemed to be up to date,” he said.

“ATAGI currently recommends anyone aged 16 years old receive a booster dose three months after the primary course and anyone who waits longer than six months since their final course will be classified as overdue.

“I do want to encourage Tasmanians when that three-month milestone arrives, please book for the booster. We know that that will give you more protection.”

Sixteen people remain in Tasmanian hospitals with Covid infections, with 13 people being treated specifically for Covid and one person still in intensive care.

On Friday, the Department of Health announced there had been 552 new Covid infections identified in the past 24 hours to Thursday night, with 3295 cases still active across the state.

The numbers of new cases, numbers in hospitals and those managing the virus at home have dropped since yesterday.

There are three outbreaks in schools in the independent sector.

Deputy director of Public Health Julie Graham said the outbreaks were in non-government schools.

“At the moment we’re currently dealing with three outbreaks in Tasmanian schools, and those are related to class groups. One in particular is actually related to events that occurred before students went back to school, but we’re actually monitoring it because of the number of students involved in that particular classroom.

Deputy Director of Public Health Emergency Operations Centre Dr Julie Graham during the Covid update at Hobart. Picture: Chris Kidd

“We’re seeing it in independent schools and that just reflects the extended time that independent schools have been back with government schools only returning this week. We will be monitoring the situation in those over the coming weeks.

Tasmania is also edging closer to reaching a 99 per cent first dose vaccination rate, bumping up to 98.96 per cent over the last days of Tasmanians over 12 having received their initial jab.

Mr Gutwein said he felt a sense of confidence in the community and said the spread of Covid in the community since the December 15 reopening had been slower and less severe than predictions.

“The outcome has been significantly better than what that previous modelling indicated,” he said.

“When we went into the opening, what we understood at the time was the Omicron crop was viewed as certainly not being any more severe.

“In fact, the evidence was beginning to mount that, and we found that Omicron was a much less severe strain, although much more transmissible and that’s exactly what we’re seeing at the moment.”

Tasmania records 23rd Covid related death – Thursday, February 10

Another person with coronavirus has lost their life in Tasmania, as this year’s Covid deaths are close to matching the 2020 tally.

Premier Peter Gutwein said an 84-year-old woman died of Covid-pneumonia in a southern residential care facility on Wednesday.

“Our thoughts are with her family and her loved ones,” Mr Gutwein said.

The 13 Tasmanian deaths related to coronavirus in the first year of the pandemic caused grief amid the North West outbreak.

When no new deaths were recorded last year, it seemed we might have seen the last of Covid-related fatalities.

But this year the state has seen a further 10 Covid-positive people die in less than two months, including two deaths announced on Wednesday and one death on Thursday.

The Department of Health, Tasmania Facebook page said one person with coronavirus was in intensive care amid 11 patients being treated for Covid symptoms in hospital.

Six other positive patients were in hospital for other conditions.

It has not been determined how many of the 10 recent deaths were directly caused by the virus.

New daily case rates are steady, with 637 on Wednesday bringing current cases to 3235.

Booster vaccine rates for people over 16 are edging closer to the halfway mark at 45.9 per cent.

First dose rates have reached 59.22 per cent for five-11-year-olds and 98.91 per cent for people over 12.

The latest Covid information is available via coronavirus.tas.gov.au

Tasmania Covid toll rises with two more deaths recorded

TWO more Tasmanians infected with Covid-19 have died, the state government’s latest statistics show.

The two latest deaths take the number to nine since Tasmania reopened its borders on December 15 and to 22 since the first pandemic hit in March, 2020.

Both of the men who died were aged in their 60s.

One, aged 68, had numerous comorbidities, the other was receiving palliative care when he died.

The State recorded 574 new Covid-19 cases overnight.

Ten of the 15 patients in hospital with Covid-19 are being treated specifically for virus symptoms and one person remains in ICU.

The total number of active cases across Tasmania is 3214. More than 32,000 have had the virus and recovered.

The level of Covid-19 infection among residents and staff in Tasmania’s aged care facilities has plateaued in line with a slowing down of community transmission.

That downward trend is expected to be halted in coming weeks now Tasmanian students and teachers have returned to the classroom.

At the peak of the initial wave of Omicron in January, one aged care home in Southern Tasmania had 24 active cases among residents and 20 aged care facilities were impacted by infections among residents and staff across the state.

As of February 4, there were 12 positive cases in Tasmanian facilities and 44 staff were infected and off work.

According to the Australian Government data, the local aged care facilities currently impacted by Covid-19 are Cadorna House Tas, Corumbene Hostel, Fred French Nursing Home, Glenview Community Services, Korongee, May Shaw Residential Aged Care, Mount Esk Aged Care, Regis Tasmania – Eastern Shore, Rosny Gardens, St Ann’s, Uniting AgeWell Aldersgate, Uniting AgeWell Lillian Martin