Tasmania will begin recording locally transmitted COVID-19 cases within days, health authorities are warning, after the state reported its highest daily infection number since the pandemic began.
The state reported 26 new COVID-19 cases on Thursday, from the 24 hours to 8pm Wednesday, bringing the number of active cases in Tasmania to 52.
Three of the new cases are household contacts, one is an international arrival and the remaining cases are from interstate.
More than half of the new cases became infected in New South Wales, with the rest from Victoria, South Australia and Queensland.
Director of Public Health Mark Veitch said there had not yet been a case transmitted locally in Tasmania, but he warned this would happen soon.
"Within the coming days we will start to see occasional cases of people who have been infected in Tasmania," he said.
"That's a very important reason to be mindful of the community risk and to take steps to reduce the risk of getting infected."
All of the active cases have been recorded since the island state reopened to fully vaccinated travellers from the mainland on December 15.
Dr Veitch said cases would continue to rise every day for the "foreseeable future".
"With a steady number of people coming into Tasmania, we would expect to see more import of cases," he said.
Twenty-eight cases are being managed at home, 10 are in a community case management facility and 12 are still being assessed or processed.
One COVID-positive person is in hospital with an alternative medical condition.
Premier Peter Gutwein said there would be no change to the state's border rules, which requires fully vaccinated people to take a PCR COVID-19 test to be taken within 72 hours of arrival into the state.
"We will consider our advice when it comes, but there is no change to our current border rules in terms of the 72-hour PCR test," he said.
"I want to say to people coming to the state that I know it can be difficult, but you need to get that test."
He urged people to use "common sense" over Christmas by isolating and testing if they felt unwell, checking in, wearing masks indoors and practising good hygiene.
The state has ordered another 100,000 Rapid Antigen Tests to add to its stockpile, the premier said.
Mr Gutwein previously defended the state government's reopening plan, after the Greens called for Tasmania to again close to Victoria, NSW and the ACT.
At Wednesday's national cabinet meeting federal officials stopped short of recommending all states and territories mandate wearing masks indoors.
Tasmania had already implemented a mask mandate for all indoor venues, plus public transport and ride-sharing services.
More than 96 per cent of Tasmanians have received their first COVID-19 vaccination and 90.87 per cent have received two doses.
