Tasmania has recorded its first coronavirus-linked death since the state reopened its borders to COVID-19 hotspots in December.
The 90-year-old unvaccinated woman was from the Barrington Lodge Aged Care Centre in Hobart.
The woman had multiple health issues and was tested for COVID on Wednesday amid an outbreak at the centre.
Premier Peter Gutwein said the woman was asymptomatic but COVID could not be ruled out as having contributed to her death, so the case would still be listed as part of the pandemic toll.
"In the interests of transparency, we are reporting it," he said.
The Barrington Lodge has 65 residents, 18 of whom have tested positive, along with five staff members.
The latest death brings the state's total toll since the pandemic began to 14.
Tasmania has not had a COVID death since the 2020 north-west outbreak, early in the pandemic.
Mr Gutwein passed on his condolences to the woman's family and also thanked staff at the nursing home for their "hard work under difficult circumstances".
"These unfortunate circumstances are again reminders that COVID is around and we need to continue to be vigilant while we go through this transition phase to living with COVID," he said.
"Don't listen to the messages on social media, speak to your health professional."
Daily case numbers dropping
The state has recorded 866 new COVID cases, a drop from the 927 yesterday, and active cases have continued to fall.
More than 1,000 people recovered from coronavirus in the past day and were free to leave isolation.
"More people are being released from isolation than [were] diagnosed yesterday," Mr Gutwein said.
Of the 31 people in hospital with COVID, 13 are being treated specifically for their coronavirus symptoms.
Three people remain in ICU, with two of those people on ventilators.
The outbreak at the Mersey Community Hospital in northern Tasmania still sits at 11 cases — nine patients and two staff members.
Mr Gutwein said tracing the source of the outbreak was still continuing, but the first detected case was in a patient in a ward at the hospital.
One of the cases has been transferred to intensive care at Launceston General Hospital.
The Mersey is at "escalation level three", meaning outpatient services have switched to telehealth and capacity for elective surgeries is under review.
Ed Note: 9/2/22: The headline and introduction have been amended to clarify the circumstances of the woman's death.
