Covid Cases Dip As Hobart Hospital Worker Tests Positive

Tasmania reported 35 new Covid infections on Monday, taking the state's total number of active cases to 194.

Cases clocked in the past 24-hour reporting period are down from the 44 infections detected on Boxing Day.

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The Department of Health have confirmed there are 32 active cases still being assessed by Public Health or are being processed for care, while 116 people are using Covid@Home and 45 were in the state's Community Case Management Facility.

Escalating infections and exposure sites were always expected according to Premier Peter Gutwein.

"We always said Covid would arrive, and we would have the systems in place to manage it," he said.

"It's important we keep on going and return to a life where we can live with Covid."

"As we learn to live with this, there will be many places that are listed, that's a statement of fact," the Premier stated.

Meanwhile, the Mercury have reported that a worker at the Royal Hobart Hospital tested positive on Christmas Eve, sending many patients, staff and families into isolation.

On Sunday, the Department of Health confirmed that several patients are being closely monitored.

“As a precautionary measure, all patients who were present in the same place as the staff member during their infectious period are being managed as close contacts,” southern regional health commander Stephen Ayre said on Boxing Day.

“These patients have all ­returned negative Covid-19 tests today, four or five days since any potential exposure.”

“The majority of colleagues who worked the same shifts as the positive case will be managed as casual contacts,” Dr Ayre said.

“Infection prevention and control measures, including contact tracing, testing of staff and patients, additional cleaning and use of additional PPE have been deployed over the past two days.”

- Dr Ayres

People who worked or visited the hospital prior to Christmas are urged to monitor themselves for symptoms and get tested should they develop.

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