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Authorities say two coronavirus-infected visitors to Tasmania from interstate had visited a slew of tourist attractions before leaving, as two other separate cases bring the state tally to 71.
Key points
- Two men already in quarantine are Tasmania's latest COVID-19 cases, taking the total to 71
- Authorities said in a separate case, two tourists who travelled around Tasmania had later tested positive for coronavirus after returning to their home state
- A list of locations where the pair visited has been released
A man in his 20s and another in his 70s were identified on Wednesday night as the latest coronavirus cases in Tasmania.
Both men have recently arrived in Tasmania from overseas and were already in self-quarantine, authorities said.
One is from southern Tasmania and one is from northern Tasmania.
Meanwhile in a separate development, Public Health Services said it had been in contact with "a number of tourism and hospitality businesses" after being alerted by an interstate health department that two people who travelled in Tasmania last month have subsequently been diagnosed with coronavirus.
In a statement, the department said the pair "travelled together as part of an organised tour of Tasmania from 12 to 23 March" — and that "neither person was aware they had coronavirus while they were in Tasmania and did not present for either medical care or testing".
The two were "only diagnosed after they returned to their home state", the department said, releasing a list of Tasmanian locations and dates tracking the movements of the pair.
The department said it had determined they visited the following locations:
Your questions on coronavirus answered:
The department said anyone who was at these locations on these days and who developed or develops respiratory symptoms in the 14 days after they were there should contact the Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.
Tasmania COVID-19 snapshot
- Confirmed cases: 71
- Deaths: 2
- Tests conducted: more than 2,200
If you think you might have COVID-19 because you feel unwell with a fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath and have travelled recently or had contact with a confirmed case, phone your GP or the Tasmanian Public Health Hotline on 1800 671 738.
Need an interpreter?
Phone the Tasmanian Interpreting Service on 131 450 and tell them your language.
For more information and factsheets:
Visit the Tasmanian Department of Health's coronavirus page here.
Public Health Services said it was "working with the tour operator to obtain more specific details about transport taken by the persons while in Tasmania and will provide this additional information as soon as it is available".
"Public Health Services is also sharing this information with communicable disease agencies interstate because it is expected that most close contacts of these cases will be interstate residents," it said.
On Wednesday, the ABC reported new data released by Australian National University's (ANU) Centre for Social Research and Methods had found some populations are more vulnerable than others to coronavirus.
The study found Tasmania had significantly higher concentrations of the health problems linked to COVID-19 deaths.
What the experts are saying about coronavirus:
Topics: covid-19, diseases-and-disorders, health, tas, hobart-7000, launceston-7250
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