Hobart, Oct 26 Tasmania on Monday reopened its borders to most of mainland Australia. marking the first time in seven months that people can arrive in the island state without having to quarantine amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Tasmania was the first region/territory in Australia to close its borders in March in the wake of the pandemic and has not reported any confirmed case more than 70 days, The Australian newspaper said in a report.
The island state's borders were now reopened to Covid-19 low-risks jurisdictions in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory, as well as New Zealand.
In a statement, Tasmania's Health Minister Sarah Courtney said that all arrivals will be health screened and anyone with Covid-19 symptoms will be tested and ordered into quarantine until their result was known.
"While it's exciting to be able to see restrictions ease and life getting to a Covid-normal, we also need to remember there is always a risk of coronavirus in our community," she said, urging people to maintain social distancing and good personal hygiene.
So far, Tasmania has reported a total of 230 Covid-19 cases and 13 deaths.
As of Monday, Australia's overall caseload and death toll stand at 27,520 and 905, respectively.
( With inputs from IANS )
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