80 per cent of people in intensive care with Covid in SA are unvaccinated, outbreaks in regional towns

The vast majority of Covid patients in intensive care in SA are unvaccinated, Nicola Spurrier says, as she denies a rumour about her job.

Almost all critical Covid-19 patients in hospital are unvaccinated and most now have the virulent Omicron strain as cases continue to surge.

Sixteen people are now in intensive care in the Royal Adelaide Hospital, with 13 – or 80 per cent – unvaccinated.

It comes as a major new vaccination booster clinic is set to launch in Adelaide’s inner west next week and the first shipment of doses for children arrive in SA ahead of Monday’s paediatric rollout.

Premier Steven Marshall on Friday confirmed two Covid-related deaths in the past 48 hours, bringing the state’s total to 10. Both had underlying health issues.

On another record day of 3707 Covid cases – a rise of 637 in 24 hours – 21 more patients were admitted to hospital.

Genomic testing has revealed 93 per cent of the 144 patients in hospital are ill with the Omicron variant.

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier revealed there were now 16 ICU patients – up four from the day before – with 13 unvaccinated. One is on a ventilator in an induced coma

“It really is so important for everybody to get themselves protected – it’s lifesaving,” Professor Spurrier warned.

Professor Spurrier speaks to the media at the daily Covid press conference. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Prof Spurrier said restrictions were stopping numbers from skyrocketing.

SA Health has 356 infectious staff and 547 workers in isolation. Retired medicos, private hospital staff and students are being recruited for contact tracing and jab clinics.

A booster clinic at the Mile End netball stadium will offer Moderna doses. It will boost weekly capacity from 5000 patients to 15,000 within weeks.

It will be manned by staff from St Andrews and Western Community Hospital, which has cancelled surgeries.

Mr Marshall said a decision on the new school year will be made by the end of next week “but there are lots of moving parts”. Prof Spurrier warned of education “disruption”.

All aged care and disability workers, volunteers or agency staff must have a booster shot within four weeks of becoming eligible by January 29.

Labor health spokesman Chris Picton criticised the pressure on hospital staff before the Covid wave peaks.

The two people to lose their lives were Christine Eross, 65, of Angle Park in Adelaide’s northwest, who died on Wednesday, and a woman in her 90s.

Alert amid rising cases in abattoir and tourist town

Oon of Australia’s largest abattoirs located in the state’s South-East and a nearby popular tourist town are battling large Covid-19 outbreaks that have placed authorities on high alert.

More than 100 people linked to the Teys Australia abattoir, on Naracoorte’s eastern outskirts, are ill while at least 114 cases have been reported around Robe, amid fears that total will further rise.

SA Health teams have been dispatched to the abattoir as urgent testing is given to workers and other emergency measures launched.

“We want to make sure that it’s just localised to that abattoir and that we don’t have spread further in the community,” chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said.

Operations have reduced and officials say almost all staff are vaccinated but it is unclear what effect the outbreak will have on supplies.

Professor Spurrier also warned of rising case numbers in Robe, 334km southeast of Adelaide.

SA Health published a list of six new exposure sites on Thursday night including the local Caledonian Inn and The Project Robe pizza restaurant.

Anyone who visited the Caledonian Inn on New Year’s Eve between 9.30pm and 12.30am was told to quarantine for seven days.

The same requirement applied to people who were at The Project Robe from 8pm on Thursday, December 30, until 1am the next morning.

Prof Spurrier said anyone who visited Robe over the New Year’s period must closely monitor for symptoms.

“It was a very popular destination … and a large number of tourists did flock there and we have seen a large number of cases coming from that area,” she said.

SA Health also announced the Kingston Soldier’s Memorial Hospital would immediately close until at least Tuesday due to cases at the site.

Patients and staff will test daily while emergency patients will be sent to other hospitals.

Spurrier denies quit threat

The state’s Covid-19 health chief has denied threatening to resign or tensions with Premier Steven Marshall.

In her first media appearance in almost a fortnight, chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier dismissed claims she had been “sidelined”.

Prof Spurrier said SA’s Covid-19 leadership had “excellent relationships” and she was “always available”.

She was asked if she had threatened to quit at an SA Health meeting on December 30, the day national cabinet announced new close contact rules. SA Health then published conflicting rules.

“Now why would I threaten to resign from this sort of job?” Prof Spurrier said. “I’m here to deal with a pandemic.

“I’m here to do a good job … to lead a pandemic response and I will say absolutely no to that sort of question.”