New case in Modbury cluster, as Premier defends SA Health’s handling of Daniel Cioffi’s exemption

The two paramedics who took the man at the centre of the Modbury cluster to hospital acted as though he had Covid – just in case, they say. The cluster rose by one today.

The two paramedics who took the man who sparked the Modbury Covid cluster to hospital say they didn’t think the man had the virus, but took extra precaution just in case.

Hayley Mannix and Perri Kennett said they were aware they were dealing with a man who had been in hotel quarantine when the man’s family called an ambulance.

“He kept saying he felt well, but not quite himself,” Ms Kennett said, adding it had “crossed her mind” it could be Covid.

“But it wasn’t my first thought … but being in hotel quarantine, you can’t rule it out, but it wasn’t at the forefront of my mind,” she said.

The man showed just one symptom – a cough, but the paramedics later found out he’d had a fever for some days.

Dr Tim Burrough, the consultant in charge, paramedic Perri Kennett, registered nurse Judith Millane, paramedic Hayley Mannix, registered nurse Valerie Paras and Stuart Benson, the ED doctor who treated the man, outside the Modbury Hospital. Picture: Kelly Barnes

Donned in full PPE as a precaution – and handing masks to the man and his family – the ambos informed Modbury Hospital of the possibility the man had Covid, and the decision was made to move him immediately to a special area called the negative pressure room.

”They met us outside at the airlock and the patient went straight through and he had no contact with other patients,” Ms Mannix said.

Ms Mannix said the pair kept themselves safe with PPE including masks, gowns and gloves and followed cleaning protocols.

It comes as an Adelaide Hills wildlife sanctuary took a jab at the State Government for allowing 15,000 people to attend this weekend’s Adelaide Oval showdown.

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary took to Facebook on Wednesday evening, apologising to the community for not opening this weekend.

“We’re sorry to announce, due to the fact that we’re not a football match, capacity restrictions mean it is not economically viable for us to open this weekend,” they wrote on Facebook.

“We will take this opportunity to restructure the sanctuary, in the hope of being a football match next weekend.”

Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary took to social media to express their frustration at not being able to open due to restrictions. Picture: Facebook

Meanwhile, a man whose mother is fighting terminal brain cancer has been granted an exemption to travel to Adelaide, while the Modbury cluster has moved to 22 with a new case, a man in his 20s whose family was at the Tenafeate Creek Winery.

The man had been in quarantine and is not a threat to the community.

It comes as NSW recorded 233 new cases – dozens in the community – and two deaths.

REPLAY THE PRESS CONFERENCE

Premier Steven Marshall has thanked the staff at Modbury Hospital for their quick action when the elderly man at the centre of the Modbury cluster arrived.

“The hospital immediately swung into action and took the patient into a negative pressure area,” Mr Marshall said.

“This patient came into contact with about 70 other patients and workers and not one of them got Covid and that shows just how well the process works.”

Hayley and Perry – the two ambos who took the original man to hospital were both fully vaccinated.

He said he was concerned about the situation in NSW and Queensland and urged South Australians in Queensland to make plans to come home.

There are three new cases on Wednesday, two from overseas and a man in his 20s, linked to the Tenafeate Creek Winery, chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said.

He had no symptoms and the virus was picked up in a late test after a family member tested positive.

Three more of his family members have moved into 14-day hotel quarantine. All three cases are at Tom’s Court medi-hotel.

A man in his 70s has been rushed to intensive care overnight with Covid, but is stable and is not on a ventilator. And another two people – a man and a woman in their 80s – are in hospital. There were 7613 tests on Tuesday.

The Cioffi case

Meanwhile, Prof Spurrier said Daniel Cioffi, who flew from Spain to Brisbane but was initially refused a compassionate exemption to enter South Australia to see his sick mother, would be able to see her now in full PPE.

Emanuela Cioffi with her son Daniel, who has been granted a compassionate travel exemption. Picture: Supplied

Prof Spurrier declined to say what changed health authorities’ minds and allowed his exemption.

She defended the process that initially prevented Mr Cioffi entering SA to see his mother – who is in hospital with brain cancer.

“All I can say is there has been ongoing advice. At the time, due to the clinical status it was not deemed an and of life situation,” Prof Spurrier said.

“I am very careful not to provide detailed information because everyone has a right to privacy.”

Mr Cioffi, who came from Spain “where there are large numbers of Covid daily”, will visit his mum in hospital in full PPE equipment.

“I feel deeply for this family. They have a mother with a devastating diagnosis.”

Mr Marshall said he backed SA Health 100 per cent over its handling of the Cioffi case.

“Many of them (exemption requests) have very compelling and urgent reasons for them to come back and I’m glad to hear Daniel is on his way back but I 100 per cent back SA Health … and the tough decisions they have to make on a daily basis.”

Mr Cioffi was initially refused the exemption despite personal support from the Premier.

He has spent the past few days stuck in a Brisbane medi-hotel appealing to SA Health, and was granted approval to travel on Wednesday morning.

It is understood he is currently in the air on an Angel Flight from Brisbane to Broken Hill then on to Adelaide, where he will be allowed to visit his mother Emanuela, 66.

Indoor sports rules

Prof Spurrier said while parents would be allowed to watch their children play sport this weekend, limits meant it was one person per child for indoor sports.

She said it was different at Adelaide Oval, because it was more “structured” there, and allowing fans into the Oval was “completely different” to allowing people to stand and drink at the bar.

SA Health will look at extending 14 days quarantine because of the transmissibility of the Delta variant, after Wednesday’s case tested positive on day 13.

Ambo vaccines

Meanwhile, from Wednesday, it’s mandatory for any health worker entering a red zone – anywhere they could come into contact with Covid – to have had at least one vaccination shot.

About 76 per cent of metro SA ambos have had one shot, Health Minister Stephen Wade said.

He said that figure has jumped from 35 per cent last week, which was a “voluntary” recording – in the past week the service had “officially” recorded all who had been vaccinated.