Tasmania’s 11th coronavirus case travelled through the UK

A woman has been confirmed as the state’s eleventh coronavirus case amid fears dozens of cruise ship passengers may have contracted the virus.

THE state’s eleventh case of the virus has been confirmed as a Tasmanian woman who returned from a trip to the UK.

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Public Health director Mark Veitch said the state’s latest case was confirmed late Friday night.

“They developed some symptoms about a day after arriving back in Tasmania, were tested, and found to be positive for coronavirus,” he said.

“They were assessed at home and found to still be well enough to be managed at home.”

Dr Veitch said it was believed the woman came into contact with very few people following her return to the state’s south, aside from her household contacts.

“We believe there is very low risk to the Tasmanian community.”

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More than 50 Tasmanians were also put at risk of contracting the virus on the Ruby Princess after three people aboard tested positive for the virus, including one Tasmanian woman in her 50s.

Cruise ship passengers disembark from the Ruby Princess at Circular Quay in Sydney on Thursday. Picture: AAP/DEAN LEWINS

The woman was expected to remain in isolation in New South Wales after disembarking from the Ruby Princess on Thursday.

“The lady and her travelling companion had not yet left New South Wales at that stage, and between the Tasmanian Health Department and the New South Wales Health Department it was arranged for her to be further assessed at a New South Wales hospital,” Dr Veitch said.

“Her clinical management will be undertaken by New South Wales Health.”

Mark Veitch. Picture: MATT THOMPSON

Dr Veitch said 54 other Tasmanians would be among more than 2500 passengers aboard the ship who would now need to self-isolate.

Three other people aboard the ship tested positive of the virus, with a further two passengers travelling on to Darwin before testing positive.

“New South Wales Health has contacted all of those people by SMS or email or telephone, or a combination of those things, to advise them of their obligation to be in quarantine when they reach their destination,” Dr Veitch said.

“If any of those people are ill while in New South Wales, they’ll be advised not to travel on to Tasmania until their illness has been assessed.”

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Premier Peter Gutwein praised travellers for complying with the new strict border control measures at the state’s airport.

He said on Saturday morning, about 60 passengers arrived into the state and will go into quarantine after filling out a landing card.

“The system worked well,” he said. “Everybody complied. And I’d say to those people, as difficult as it is, in going into the quarantine period ensure that you do the right thing.”

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Greens Health Spokeswoman, and epidemiologist, Rosalie Woodruff said the border controls were serious and important.

Epidemiologist and Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff. Picture: LUKE BOWDEN

“We really commend the Premier for making the details clear to Tasmanians,” she said.

“We’ve got border protections into place to stop new cases coming into the state. Now, we need to make sure there’s no spread of the COVID-19 within Tasmania in the community.”