Four people die with Covid

A WOMAN in her 30s from the state’s south was among four new Covid-related deaths in Tasmania recorded on Friday.

A woman in her 80s from the north, a woman in her 90s from the south and a man in his 80s from the south also died, the government said.

“I’m advised that the woman in her 30s who has died, that Covid was a contributing factor to her death, but not the cause of her death,” Education Minister Roger Jaensch said during a morning briefing.

There were 1416 new Covid cases confirmed overnight

Thursday and 172 patients in hospital who have tested positive to the virus, 53 being treated specifically for Covid.

Of those, two were in the ICU and one person was on a ventilator.

All of Tasmania’s hospitals are operating at level 3 escalation, with 383 staff currently furloughed – 298 of the staff members have tested positive for Covid and 85 are close contacts.

“There’s no doubt our hospitals are feeling the strain, both from the numbers of Covid cases and the impact on staffing,” chief medical officer Tony Lawler said.

There are also outbreaks at

aged care facilities across 27

Tasmania. The peak of the current wave is expected in August.

Concession card holders will continue to be able to access free rapid antigen tests (RATs) under state government provisions.

Service Tasmania will be the new distribution point, as from August 1 pharmacies will no longer distribute RATs to concession card holders.

There are product limits which allows 10 RATs over a three-month period or five RATs per month.

The Department of Health will also continue providing free RATs to symptomatic Tasmanians, regardless of whether they are concession card holders or not.