Daily blog, May 15: One new case of coronavirus as modelling shows infection rate

Tasmania has recorded one new case of coronavirus, breaking a landmark seven days without any new infections.

Get all the latest updates on the coronavirus crisis sweeping the state and country.

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• REVEALED: Tassie’s road map out of COVID-19 restrictions
• When do the pubs reopen?
• When do the kids go back to school?
• Cash boost to help pay rent amid pandemic
• What went wrong? Experts offer their views

READ MORE:

• Everything we know about the cases of COVID-19 in Tasmania
• Where each case of coronavirus occurred in Tasmania

8.30pm: ONE NEW CASE OF CORONAVIRUS

There has been one new case of coronavirus confirmed in Tasmania on Friday.

Director of Public Health Dr Mark Veitch said the case was a man aged in his 70s, from northern Tasmania.

Public Health Services has commenced investigations and contact tracing is underway.

It takes the State’s total to 226 cases.

Testing of samples is continuing tonight.

Any Tasmanian with cold or flu-like symptoms such as a cough, sore throat, runny nose, or fever should contact their GP or call the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 to arrange testing for coronavirus.

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

7am: HOW MANY TASMANIANS COULD HAVE BEEN INFECTED

Hundreds of thousands of Tasmanians could have been infected with COVID-19 had early action not been taken to slow the spread, modelling suggests.

The State Government will on today release its Economic and Fiscal Update Report, which will outline the impact of the actions taken to mitigate the risk in Tasmania.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

6am: WHISTLEBLOWER WARNS US HAS NO PLAN TO ROLL OUT A VACCINE

AMERICA is “running out” of time to tackle coronavirus and doesn’t have a plan to properly deliver a vaccine, according to a top infectious disease expert turned whistleblower.

Ousted health official Dr Rick Bright, who says he was sidelined from his government role after criticising the Trump administration’s pandemic response, made the warnings in several hours of damning testimony to a House committee in Washington.

He said the US risks failing to deliver any vaccine through repeating its early missteps in distributing essential medical supplies, such as the treatment drug Remdesivir and personal protective equipment.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

9.15pm, yesterday: NO NEW CASES FOR A FULL WEEK

TASMANIA has reached a landmark seven days without recording a new case of coronavirus.

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch on Thursday evening said the state’s COVID-19 count remained at 225.

He said testing of samples was continuing across Thursday night.

As of 6pm on Thursday, 20,473 coronavirus tests had been conducted statewide.

Of the 225 positive Tasmanian cases, 187 people have recovered, 13 have died and 25 cases remain active.

8.50pm, yesterday: EDUCATION GAP: SCHOOLS TO PLAY CATCH-UP

TASMANIAN students will start returning to learning at school in just 10 days, with educators facing a significant task to help them catch up on what they have missed.

Students from Kindergarten to Grade 6 and those in Years 11 and 12 will be back in classrooms from May 25, with Years 7 to 10 returning two weeks later.

A predominantly at-home learning model was adopted due to coronavirus restrictions, with some saying the staged return to traditional settings would be akin to starting the year again after summer holidays.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

7.05pm, yesterday: PREMIER REFUSES TO RELAX RULES FOR AFL

HAWTHORN and North Melbourne are both laying heavy hits, but Tasmania’s Premier Peter Gutwein is not backing down from his hard line stance on AFL games in the state this season.

The Hawks and the Roos have both expressed their desire to fulfil their contracts — worth a combined $8 million to the clubs — of playing eight home matches in Tasmania this year, even with a truncated season.

But any visitors to Tasmania must remain isolated in a hotel for 14 days — and Mr Gutwein said he would not relax this policy just so AFL teams can play games in the state in front of empty stadiums.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE