Quarantine relief

Hope quarantine to end in days

TRAVELLERS ordered into quarantine due to a growing COVID- 19 outbreak in South Australia could be out in a matter of days.

Premier Peter Gutwein said he believed the SA cluster appeared to be under control.

SOME travellers ordered into quarantine because of a COVID- 19 hotspot in South Australia could be allowed out as soon as Wednesday as the outbreak appeared to be contained, Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein said.

The state government on Monday requested all travellers who arrived in Tasmania from November 7 to 15 to selfisolate at home or in their hotel rooms.

But in a scheduled update on Tuesday, Mr Gutwein said the situation in SA appeared under control and that quarantine request could be lifted soon.

“For those that are already self- isolating – that have been visiting us from SA or Tasmanians who have returned home from SA in that period – we would ask that they selfisolate for another 24 hours,” he said.

“Subject to circumstances continuing favourably, as the advice is from SA, we would hope that as of tomorrow those visitors will be able to return to their normal activities.

“Those visitors that are with us from SA, if their trip is ending and they have a flight booked out of the state then they were sent instructions yesterday, so that wearing a mask they can exit the state.”

People who arrived in Tasmania on or after Monday, when SA was declared a medium risk, are being required to quarantine at home or in a government- designated hotel at least until the end of the week when further advice is expected.

Mr Gutwein said he expected to provide updates daily on the Tasmanian government's response to the SA outbreak over coming days.

Mr Gutwein said SA would continue to be designated a medium- risk location for the time being, but that could change as more information came to hand.

He said it was an appropriate and proportionate response to order SA walkers off the Three Capes Track bushwalk.

“I think if, at the end of the day, one of those walkers turns out to be COVID- positive it would have been a very good response,” he said.

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said about 1200 people had arrived in Tasmania from SA in the past 10 days, which is the period of most concern to health authorities.

He said authorities in that state were handling the outbreak appropriately.

“They’ve got a little way to go until they’re at a point of confidence that they’ve completely contained it but they’re getting substantially on top of it,” he said.