Tasmania’s health department has apologised for sending messages to 540 people with coronavirus that wrongly told them they were close contacts.

The state health department said the error occurred on Saturday and was “corrected immediately”.

“540 people incorrectly received messages notifying them they were close contacts for COVID-19, when they should have received messages advising them of their requirements to isolate as a case of COVID-19,” acting State Health Commander Dale Webster said in a statement.

“These people were already identified as cases having either registered a positive RAT or receiving a notification from the laboratory of their positive result.”

Mr Webster said follow-up messages advised the people of the mistake and of their isolation requirements.

“On behalf of the department of health, I apologise for the error and for any inconvenience caused to the recipients of the incorrect messages,” he said.

Mr Webster said processes are subjected to a continual internal review.

Last week, 19 Tasmanians who tested positive were incorrectly informed they had tested negative. The health department said the error was corrected within three hours.

The island state recorded 1726 new cases on Monday, an increase of 209 from Sunday, taking the number of active infections to 10,939.

There are 27 people with the virus in hospital. None are in intensive care.

– AAP