Royal Hobart Hospital close contacts test negative to COVID-19

The case was identified on December 24, with contact tracing and testing of all staff, patients and visitor implemented.

The Department of Health announced in a statement Tuesday evening that all affected areas have returned to normal patient flow conditions and staff are operating under business-as-usual protocols, with the additional COVID-safe precautions remaining in place.

The Department of Health can advise that the Incident Management Team established to respond to the positive case of COVID-19 detected within the RHH has closed the incident and stood down.

EARLIER:

On Christmas Day it was announced an employee at the Royal Hobart Hospital had tested positive for COVID-19, with all patients who were present in the same place as the staff member during their infectious period being managed as close contacts.

Acting chief executive of Hospital South and Southern Region Health Commander, Dr Stephen Ayre, and chief medical officer Professor Tony Lawler advised in a statement on Sunday that a small number of staff were close contacts and awaiting results.

"While at this point no other staff or patients have returned a positive COVID test, the Royal Hobart Hospital Incident Management Team continues to work to contain any potential transmission from the positive case of COVID-19 identified at the RHH on 24 December," they said in a statement.

"Infection prevention and control measures, including contract tracing, testing of staff and patients, additional cleaning, and use of additional PPE have been deployed over the past two days.

"Due to the utilisation of PPE and COVID-safe behaviour by staff, patients and visitors within health settings in Tasmania, the risk of transmission in this situation has been significantly decreased."

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