Covid-19 case updates for December 9: New exposure sites as SA records seven new cases
SA Health has announced new exposure sites after the state recorded seven Covid cases on Thursday including two linked to the Norwood cluster, which now stands at 30 cases. See the list.
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NEW EXPOSURE SITES
There were three close contact sites announced Thursday night:
Our Lady Queen of Peace school, which is in Albert Park - Monday, December 6 until Wednesday, December 8.
Families and staff affected by the case at Our Lady Queen of Peace school will be contacted by SA Health, it says.
The school’s year 6 graduation for all students and family, December 7, 6pm to 8pm
Virgin Flight VA233, Melbourne to Adelaide (rows 19 to 23) on Tuesday, December 7 – it arrived 5.05pm
West Lakes - Lakes Resort Hotel year 6 graduation, all students and families, December 6, 6.15pm-9.20pm.
The Virgin flight is considered a casual contact exposure site for all other rows. The Quest Hotel on Franklin St is another casual exposure site for December 5, 6.30pm-7pm.
SEVEN NEW CASES ON THURSDAY
There have been seven new cases of Covid-19 reported on Thursday including two linked to the Norwood cluster, which now stands at 30 cases.
The latest cases are two men in their 20s and 50s, three women including two in their 20s and one in their 30s, a teenager and a child.
As well as the two close contacts linked to the Norwood cluster, one case acquired their infection overseas and has been in quarantine since their arrival and four cases acquired their infection interstate.
Six of the seven cases were vaccinated and the status of the seventh is not yet known.
There have been 61 cases since the borders opened on November 23, and there are 51 active cases.
These include a woman in her 50s and a man in his 60s in the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a stable condition.
Of the other active cases, 42 are in supervised quarantine and seven are in home quarantine. There also have been 538 close contacts identified.
The single vaccinated rate stands at 90.7 per cent and the double rate is 83.1 per cent.
There were 12,878 tests carried out on Wednesday.
Following further investigations, the Istanbul Lounge is no longer listed as an exposure site. SA Health officials are contacting identified contacts of this location.
- Brad Crouch
SCHOOL CLOSED FOR CLEANING
An Adelaide primary school will stay closed on Friday after a member of the school community tested positive to Covid.
In a Facebook post, Catholic Education SA announced a member of the Our Lady Queen of Peace school community tested positive for the virus on Wednesday.
The Albert Park school – including vacation care – closed on Thursday for cleaning and contact tracing and is now closed for the school year. Vacation care will open when it has enough staff.
The Facebook post said classes at the school had already finished for the year but parents have been notified.
It said SA Health was working to trace close and casual contacts of the case.
It said all students from class 56LT who were at the school on December 6 or 7 must get tested, quarantine until further advice from SA Health.
All year six students and parents who attended the Year 6 graduation at The Lakes Resort on Monday December 6 are also required to get tested, quarantine and await further advice.
Catholic Education SA spokesman Steve Genesin said they were contacted by SA Health on Wednesday night.
“Families were quickly notified via the school’s app and information was also posted on Catholic Education SA and school Facebook pages and websites shortly afterwards.
“Catholic Education SA has a management plan in place and the school is following all protocols.”
He thanked parents, staff and the school community for co-operating with SA Health advice.
UPDATE ON NEXT EASING OF RESTRICTIONS
The State Government will need a “few more days” before it sets a date for the easing of Covid restrictions, which will aim to fall in line with reaching the 90 per cent vaccination target for residents 12 and over.
“In the lead-up to hitting 80 per cent we set a date and we’ll be doing exactly the same with 90,” Premier Steven Marshall said.
“We just need a few more days to see what that run rate is going to be in South Australia.”
WHAT LIFE WILL BE LIKE AT 90% VACCINATION
When South Australia hits its target of 90 per cent of the state aged 12 and up being fully vaccinated, in theory all restrictions including capacity caps on venues should drop.
But will the emergence of the Omicron variant change that equation?
Health reporter Brad Crouch analyses what we know
THREE PFIZER JABS NEEDED FOR OMICRON
Pfizer and BioNTech say a third dose of their Covid-19 vaccine neutralised the Omicron variant in lab tests — but warned two doses was significantly less effective at blocking the virus.
Omicron has caused global concern over signs that it can transmit faster than previous strains and fears that its multiple mutations could help it evade immune defences provided by vaccines.
No deaths have yet been associated with the variant.
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