SEA CHANGE

PREMIER IMPOSES CRUISE SHIP BAN

ISOLATION for overseas passengers and a ban on cruise ship visits are top of the measures in the fight against coronavirus.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison yesterday announced mandatory 14-day isolation for all arrivals from overseas, and Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said all cruise ship visits to Tasmania were banned until

June 30. The Coral Discoverer (above) was yesterday the last passenger vessel to visit Hobart for the foreseeable future. It did not disembark passengers during its brief stay before it sailed for Sydney.

Further measures are likely this week to fight the the virus, which has infected six people in the state — one of whom was released from hospital yesterday.

ONE OF the six people in Tasmania diagnosed with coronavirus has recovered, been cleared by health authorities and is out of isolation.

The virus hit Tasmania’s shores at the start of the month with the first case identified on March 2.

The patient’s release from isolation comes as authorities confirm the most recent case – a 60-year-old woman diagnosed on Saturday – was the travel companion and close contact of one of the other infected people and had not been mixing in the community.

“She was already in isolation when she was confirmed positive. Her close contacts have been identified and contacted by PHS,” Acting

Director of Public Health Scott McKeown said.

The woman’s diagnosis follows five other cases, a 40year-old man in Launceston who had travelled from Iran and a 20-year-old man in Hobart who had flown in from Nepal via Singapore and Sydney.

Those cases were followed by the diagnosis of a 30-yearold woman in Hobart on March 11 who had arrived in Tasmania from South America via Sydney.

Two people were diagnosed on March 13, a woman in her 40s in Launceston who had arrived in Tasmania from the Philippines and a man in his 60s in Hobart who had been to North America.

Dr McKeown said people identified as close contacts of these cases had been advised by Public Health Services and placed in self-quarantine for 14 days where they receive daily follow-up from staff.

All six cases were directly linked to people or involve people who have arrived in Tasmania from overseas.

As of noon yesterday, 359 tests for coronavirus had been carried out in Tasmania.

“The risk to Tasmanians from casual contact with a confirmed case is very low,” Dr McKeown said.

Anyone who develops respiratory symptoms within 14 days of returning from overseas should self-quarantine and ring the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738 or contact your GP.

People can stay up to date at www.health.tas.gov.au/ coronavirus