Only one new SA case as leaders hint that some social distancing restrictions could soon be relaxed
SA recorded just one new coronavirus case on Friday as the Premier announced the rollout of a new rapid test. Most social restrictions will remain in place for weeks but some may be relaxed sooner. Get the latest state updates here.
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South Australia recorded just one new coronavirus case on Friday despite a major surge in testing as part of a new statewide blitz.
There have been 435 patients with COVID-19 in SA, 76 per cent of whom have recovered. There are 104 active cases in the state, two of whom are in intensive care including a 68-year-old man in a critical condition.
As about 2000 people were tested in a new statewide blitz on Thursday, there was only one new confirmed case – a person in their 50s with a history of overseas travel.
The next step in the program to ramp up community diagnosis is a new 60-minute rapid testing capability, to be launched at 10 country locations and all major metropolitan hospitals in about three weeks.
Meanwhile, elective surgeries could begin again in South Australian hospitals within weeks as the State Government looks at ways coronavirus restrictions can begin to be slowly wound back.
Scroll down to read more on the latest SA developments.
IN OTHER CORONAVIRUS NEWS
■ The global death toll neared 40,000 – get the latest national and global updates here.
■ Premier Steven Marshall said SA schools will return to face-to-face teaching next term.
■ Chief public health officer Dr Nicola Spurrier answered reader questions in a live Q&A.
■ SACA proposed Adelaide Oval as a quarantined cricket hub for the world’s best players.
NEW 60-MINUTE VIRUS TEST
South Australians will soon be able to discover if they have coronavirus within an hour at metropolitan hospitals and 10 regional centres.
Premier Steven Marshall said SA Pathology’s rapid testing capability would provide clinicians with the necessary information to make quick decisions regarding the treatment and care of patients with COVID-19.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said SA’s “world-class testing regime has been critical in our success in bending the curve and pushing out the peak of COVID-19”.
The $684,000 rapid testing program will provide results within an hour but cost $30 to $40 per test. The current tests are much cheaper but take about 24 hours for a result.
SA Pathology’s director of clinical services, Dr Tom Dodd, said rapid testing would be “extremely beneficial” for patients.
“The rapid testing will allow clinicians to make early and well-informed decisions about the treatment requirements of COVID-19 patients, which can be particularly important for patients showing symptoms of the virus,” Dr Dodd said.
The 10 regional hospitals which will have the capacity are Southern Fleurieu (Victor Harbor); Gawler; Port Augusta; Whyalla; Port Lincoln; Murray Bridge; Berri (Riverland general hospital); Mt Gambier; Port Pirie; and Wallaroo.
13 PARTYGOERS FINED
Police have fined 13 people for breaching coronavirus restrictions by having a house party at Whyalla on Thursday morning.
Responding to a tip-off at 11am, they found the group of adults drinking on a backyard veranda, in breach of crowd-gathering and social-distancing rules. The two residents and their 11 visitors were all fined.
Under directions issued by state co-ordinator Grant Stevens, gatherings must be limited to no more than 10 people
Mr Stevens and Premier Steven Marshall have praised the behaviour of South Australians, the vast majority of whom have adhered to the rules.
As of Thursday, officers had issued a total of 47 fines and 35 cautions.
Regional areas have been the site of many of the fines issued, with groups of people now sanctioned over house parties at Whyalla, Port Augusta and Coober Pedy.
Of the 5686 checks police have made on individuals who are supposed to be self-isolating, 5462 have been compliant.
Officers have also made almost 17,000 inspections of businesses to ensure they are trading in line with enforced directions. More than 500 of the checks have been found to be non-compliant.
At various border checks, police have also stopped more than 17,500 travellers into South Australia. Almost 8000 of these have been deemed “essential” travellers, meaning they do not need to self-isolate for 14 days upon entering SA.
WHEN RESTRICTIONS COULD BE EASED
Premier Steven Marshall said data presented to national Cabinet on Thursday was encouraging but it was far too early to lift widespread restrictions.
“But we’ve always got one eye to this issue when the data allows for it,” Mr Marshall said.
“It is quite clear that the early predictions in terms of the number of infections, hospitalisations and patients requiring ICU and ventilators has significantly diminished for the time being.”
Mr Marshall indicated lifting a ban on elective surgery would likely be the State Government’s first port of call.
“While the national Cabinet agreed that there would be no substantial changes, there was discussion around elective surgery and easing the ban on tier two and tier three elective surgery,” he said.
“We would certainly be keen to restart elective surgery in South Australia as quickly as possible provided we have the OK from health regarding the availability of PPE (personal protective equipment).”
All public and private elective surgery, apart from the most urgent cases, was cancelled on March 25 so that hospitals could prepare for the peak of the pandemic.
Other options could include relaxing restrictions on outdoor areas, including play equipment, and considering reintroducing competitive sport.
But spectator sport is still regarded as a way off.
THREE STEPS NEEDED
The national Cabinet’s first priority will be switching on “high-value, low-risk” economic activities – such as work in offices and factories – if the virus can be successfully suppressed in the next month.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison insisted some restrictions would be needed for at least six months – and that social distancing and hand hygiene would be essential until a vaccine was found.
Before any significant changes are made to social distancing rules, the national Cabinet wants to lock in three key reforms:
BROADER surveillance testing to track down any asymptomatic cases evading authorities and ensure identification of any outbreaks.
EXPANDED tracing of who infected patients have been in contact with, using an app to be made available in about a fortnight.
STRENGTHENED local response capabilities – potentially including Defence Force resources.
Mr Morrison said the national Cabinet was also focused on keeping the “effective reproduction number” under one – meaning each infected person was spreading the virus to less than one other person on average.
Chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said Australia’s testing regime was leading the world by detecting 92 per cent of all symptomatic cases.
Mr Morrison said the national Cabinet was aiming to suppress the virus, and that “eradication mode” to defeat it completely would not be “a wise trade-off” given its economic impacts.
Prof Murphy said Australia’s numbers were “very encouraging” but that if social-distancing measures were relaxed now, it would “inevitably lead to some more outbreaks of community trans-mission”.
“That could lead to situations like we’ve all seen every night on the nightly news in high-income countries with good health systems like the USA and the UK,” he said.
Mr Morrison said the six months – until the end of September – was a “ticking clock” bought by the Government’s economic support measures.
SA HEALTH MASKS ARE SAFE AFTER ALL
Frontline health staff will be reissued the same masks which were believed a day ago to be ineffective against COVID-19 infection, after they were declared safe overnight.
An urgent directive had been issued to all hospital staff to use extra precautions against potential fluid transfer after officials realised their high-quality face masks do not stop all fluids.
An SA Health spokeswoman this morning said; “The Commonwealth has clarified overnight that the masks are compliant with all relevant Australian and international standards.’’