LOCKDOWN WARNING

NORTH-WEST GROUND ZERO FOR VIRUS

PREMIER Peter Gutwein says he has considered putting Burnie into total lockdown if the community doesn’t follow isolation rules.

There have been eight new cases linked to the North-West city.

FOUR North West Regional Hospital patients and a further three workers are among nine new Tasmanian cases of coronavirus confirmed last night.

The worsening crisis at the Burnie hospital came on a day when Premier Peter Gutwein said he was considering putting the North-West city into total lockdown.

Burnie has become Tasmania’s coronavirus infection hot spot and an outbreak management team has been established to try to bring it under control.

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said Tasmania’s coronavirus count now stood at 107. Eight of the latest cases are female, one is male. One is from Southern Tasmania and eight are from the NorthWest.

One of the cases has recently travelled to Tasmania from the United States, while another is a close contact of a previously identified case.

Dr Veitch said three of the cases were healthcare workers at the NWRH, while at least one of the workers had recently worked at the North West Private Hospital.

Four of the cases are patients who have been admitted to both NWRH and NWPH.

He said Public Health Services was deploying three staff, including a field epidemiologist, to support the Outbreak Management Team stood up by the Tasmanian Health Service to assist with the response to the outbreak.

Mr Gutwein said yesterday isolating the community was being considered.

Two of the three fatalities from COVID-19 in Tasmania have died at the North West Regional Hospital, which also is linked to 22 infections — 16 health workers, six patients and a contact of an infected patient.

Burnie Mayor Steve Kons said he had supported all the recommendations from Mr Gutwein and Prime Minister Scott Morrison during the emergency.

“These are the people to listen to — not Facebook rumours and armchair experts,” Cr Kons said. “The crisis is hitting home now, and I would support any call for the people of Burnie to stay in the area if it is not essential to travel to other towns. Equally, if you live outside Burnie and do not need to come here — don’t.”

The hospital and its Emergency Department are still open for now, but no new medical or surgical patients are being accepted.

“A total lockdown of Burnie has been considered but it can be avoided if people follow the rules,” Mr Gutwein said.