Rosalie Woodruff MP | Greens Health spokesperson
Tasmanians deserve maximum transparency over the circumstances that led to the coronavirus outbreak in the North West.
Tasmania has the highest death rate and second highest infection rate in the country. Currently, 56 of the State's 150 cases have been reported in the North West.
Clearly, something went wrong in the North West Regional Hospital, and people's lives have been seriously affected. The results of the epidemiological investigation are needed to understand how such a large disease outbreak occurred in a hospital setting.
These results must be released publicly, as soon as possible, to reassure all Tasmanians who have made, and are still being asked to make, enormous sacrifices.
We recognise strong measures have now been put in place at the public and private hospitals in the North West to prevent further COVID-19 spread, and to save lives.
We also recognise North West Coasters will be having a difficult time living with the extra restrictions in place.
We were pleased to hear the Health Minister commit to making the results of the North West outbreak investigation publicly available, and urge her to do this as soon as it is complete.
People need to understand how such a large outbreak happened at the North West Regional and North West Private Hospitals to regain confidence in their hospital system.