Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
ABC News
ABC News
Health

Coronavirus alert for nursing homes in Tasmanian outbreak zone

A Tasmanian healthcare worker who has tested positive for coronavirus has also worked shifts in three nursing homes, authorities say.

Contract tracing found that the person who was diagnosed on Wednesday had worked at two north-west hospitals at the centre of an outbreak and had also completed shifts at the aged care facilities.

Public Health Services (PHS) is working with Melaleuca Nursing Home in East Devonport, Eliza Purton Home for the Aged in Ulverstone, and Coroneagh Park in Penguin to ensure they have infection controls in place.

Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said in a statement there were no confirmed cases in any of the affected homes.

Test results on one resident with respiratory symptoms are expected on Friday.

Any residents or staff displaying symptoms would also be tested, he said.

"We understand that residents of these facilities, including their family members and loved ones, may be concerned at this news," Dr Veitch said.

"We can assure the community that PHS is doing everything it can to work with the facilities to identify any other potential cases and reiterate that there is no outbreak in any Tasmanian nursing home."

Tasmania has confirmed another 11 cases of coronavirus, bringing the state's total to 180.

Ten of these are from the north-west, where authorities are dealing with the outbreak, and one is from the south.

Three of the cases are staff members of the North West Regional Hospital [NWRH] and the North West Private Hospital in Burnie.

Four are close contacts of a previously confirmed case, linked to the north-west outbreak.

Two former patients of the NWRH, who are now at the Mersey Community Hospital at Latrobe, have also tested positive.

Investigations are continuing into the other two cases.

"Deep cleaning" is underway at the two Burnie hospitals which have been closed because of the outbreak.

The Government said on Thursday that the emergency department at the NWRH was on track to reopen on Friday.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.