Tasmania will delay reopening its borders by at least one week.
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Premier Peter Gutwein announced on Friday a further update on the borders situation would be provided on July 24, the date the state's borders were scheduled to reopen.
He said this additional time was needed to understand how Victoria's recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in the Melbourne area impacted other states.
"Right now the situation in Victoria is of real concern. Nearly 300 cases today and that state has a range of significant challenges in front of it," Mr Gutwein said.
Mr Gutwein said while NSW had seen very little community transmission and had introduced a hard border closure with Victoria, 180,000 permits had been granted allowing Victorians to cross that border.
"There are major freight movements that occur across that border," Mr Gutwein said and noted the impact of this would need to be assessed.
"Looking after the safety and the heath of Tasmanians is our number one priority," Mr Gutwein said.
"Limiting people movement limits the spread of the virus."
Public Health director Mark Veitch said the exporting of cases from Victoria to other jurisdictions was a concern.
"Tasmania would be safer to wait three weeks before contemplating reopening the borders to mainland states other than Victoria to allow us sufficient time to assess what is going on in mainland states," Dr Veitch said.
MORE TO COME