Hobart Aged Care Facility Plunged Into Lockdown Following Surge In Cases

A Tasmanian aged care facility has gone into lockdown as eleven other aged care centres record new Covid cases.

Multiple aged care centres through Tasmania have recorded Covid cases resulting in residents being confined to their rooms for their own safety.

Both health care staff and aged care residents have contracted the virus with more cases within the aged care sector predicted.

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The news comes as the state records 702 new Covid cases which takes the total number of active cases to 2,244.

The Snug Village aged care centre in South Hobart has today been plunged into lockdown after eight cases were detected including both staff and residents.

Despite the rise in cases both state-wide and across aged care facilities, Public Health deputy director Scott McKeown is confident the situation is under control.

"Public Health is working very closely with these facilities and with the Commonwealth to ensure that we follow national guidelines and protect residents, staff and communities around these facilities," Dr McKeown said.

Health Minister Jeremy Rockliff has told Tasmanians to expect another surge in case numbers with the state expected to reach close to 2,000 cases per day.

"We are expecting this number and our health system is well prepared," he said

Mr Rockliff said although the Omicron variant is very contagious, few people have been hospitalised with the new strain.

"This highlights the fact that the Omicron variant is very mild," he said.

The latest surge in numbers comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison rejected calls to have Rapid Antigen Tests made free for all Australians amid rapidly rising case and testing numbers, causing a nationwide shortage for test kits.

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