Southern Tasmania,including the capital city of Hobart,will enter a snap three-day lockdown from 6pm today after a COVID-positive man from NSW escaped quarantine and spent time in the community.
As we reported previously,health authorities in Tasmania yesterday identified 38 primary close contacts of a NSW man in Hobart who has tested positive to COVID-19.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
The man,a traveller arriving in Tasmania from NSW via Melbourne,was sent to Hobart’s hotel quarantine system upon arrival in the state on Monday. He was found not to be in his room after a welfare check early on Tuesday and located at an address in Bridgewater in Hobart’s northern suburbs.
He subsequently tested positive to COVID-19.
Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said the state was at a “crucial” point in the vaccination roll-out and could not risk a large coronavirus outbreak taking hold.
He said the man who escaped hotel quarantine had not been forthcoming with information about his movements,which included visiting a Woolworths supermarket in Bridgewater.
“Unfortunately,it took two days to verify that he was at Woolworths and there is growing concern now that he has been to several touch points in the community,” Mr Gutwein said.
“Unfortunately,it took two days to verify that he was at Woolworths and there is growing concern now that he has been to several touch points in the community,” Mr Gutwein said.
A close contact of the man also broke home quarantine,and has since been arrested and fined.
Those in the state’s south will only be able to travel up to 5km from their homes,with face masks required to be worn indoors and outdoors.
“With a plan to be open before Christmas and to hit those vaccination rates,we need to ensure that we can continue with that,” Mr Gutwein said.
“We have a circumstance now where we have a positive delta case in the south of the state with contacts,we have contact tracking and tracing,but unfortunately,the information that we have around those people has been difficult to gauge.
“One of the things that we do not want to be in this state is either Sydney or Melbourne who acted too late in both instances when dealing with[the] Delta[strain of COVID-19].
“Other areas of the state at this stage are not in lockdown:regardless,I would say please remain vigilant and get tested if you have any cold or flu symptoms,no matter how small.”
Indoor and outdoor gatherings are not allowed in the state,with no weddings except those given an exemption for compassionate reasons. Funerals will be able to have a maximum of 10 visitors.
The local government areas going into lockdown in Tasmania from 6pm on Friday include Brighton Council,Central Highlands Council,Clarence City Council,Derwent Valley Council,Glamorgan-Spring Bay Council,Glenorchy City Council,Hobart City Council,Huon Valley Council,Kingborough Council,Sorrel Council,Southern Midlands Council and the Tasman Council.
Tasmanians who are currently in NSW,ACT and Victoria will not be able to travel to Southern Tasmania during the lockdown,and those travelling to Tasmania from other states must follow lockdown rules.
“To non-Tasmanians that wish to travel to the state,if you’re not a resident,we encourage you to reconsider your travel to southern Tasmania,whilst the lockdown is on,” Mr Gutwein said.