Five wards across three Tasmanian hospitals are currently dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks.
Acting State Health Commander Dale Webster said outbreaks were being managed on three wards at the Launceston General Hospital, one ward at the Mersey Community Hospital and one ward at the North-West Regional Hospital.
The news comes as more than a dozen aged care homes across the state battle COVID-19 outbreaks, and infections statewide continue to grow.
More than 1,800 new cases were recorded in the state in the latest reporting period, the highest daily total since April.
As of midday on Monday, a total of 15 aged care homes were dealing with outbreaks.
At one of those homes — Lyell House residential aged care facility in the West Coast District Hospital at Queenstown — 10 residents and 10 staff members have tested positive for the virus.
Emily Shepherd from the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation said some staff have been required to work 12-hour shifts to cover staff shortages due to the outbreak.
"Some of our members have picked up additional shifts, some have acted up into higher roles to ensure that there is senior oversight and support for the site," she said.
"For a small site and for a small community there isn't a lot of staff to fall back on."
Mr Webster said an outbreak management team was meeting regularly to monitor the situation.
"Members of the public are to be reassured that it is safe to attend the emergency first response unit and outpatients department as required. The sub-acute care ward has been closed temporarily, due to managing staff levels," he said.
"All areas of the hospital are operating as per COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures."
An outbreak in an aged care setting is declared if two or more residents are diagnosed with COVID-19 and are on-site at any time during their infectious period or five or more staff test positive within 72 hours of each other.
Mr Webster said aged care facilities had access to anti-viral treatments.
The number of patients with the virus in the state's public hospitals stands at 100 for the first time in the pandemic, with 29 being treated specifically for COVID-19 and two people are in intensive care with the virus.
Tasmania also recorded one new COVID-related death, taking the total number during the pandemic to 102.
'If you're going to the supermarket, put your mask on'
The Launceston General Hospital and the North West Regional Hospital remain at level three of their COVID-19 management plans.
There are restrictions on visitation, elective surgeries have been reduced, and affected wards have been closed.
Sue Leitch from the Council of the Ageing Tasmania said the increasing number of cases and the outbreaks in healthcare settings, have not come as a surprise.
"There may have been a degree of complacency that has been seeping into the general community about cases because the public health emergency period has ceased," Ms Leitch said.
"The more that it spreads in the community, the more likely it is to get into hospitals and aged care [home]."
Ms Leitch said she would like to see more people wear face masks again in an effort to limit the spread.
"If you're going to the supermarket, put your mask on, keep a little bit of distance between you and the queue. It's the same messaging, but I think we've tended to forget about them," she said.
"Everyone has got a role to play to reduce transmission."
