Garden of Unearthly Delights, Regal Theatre among dozens warned on COVID rules
SA has two new COVID cases, as dozens of venues are told to get their acts together on COVID restrictions – including one of the most popular venues.
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Dozens of licensed venues, including Fringe settings, have been cautioned for breaching COVID-19 rules, figures show.
It comes as SA Health revealed two new cases on Tuesday, while testing revealed a traveller has the mutant UK strain.
The first patient, a woman in her 60s, tested positive after arriving from overseas last week.
The second case, a woman, in her 60s, arrived in SA early last year and before the state’s medi-hotel program launched in April, SA Health told The Advertiser.
Officials said she had no symptoms but a recent serology test found an old infection.
“The second case arrived in early 2020 before our medi-hotel quarantine program started,” an SA Health spokeswoman said.
“She did not show any symptoms but recently had a serology test which picked up an old infection.
“She is not an active case or infectious and the serology test showed an old infection which we are counting towards our case numbers because she had not previously been diagnosed.”
An SA Health spokeswoman said the case has been added to the tally of 617 patients as she had not been diagnosed and counted overseas.
Further genomic test results found a recent patient staying in a medi-hotel has been identified with the COVID-19 UK strain.
They are the seventh case with that coronavirus strain, which was first detected in the UK.
There is another case with the strain of COVID-19 first detected in South Africa.
Another case has been removed from the tally because it was recorded overseas.
A further 312 vaccines were given to frontline workers on Monday, taking the total to 1942.
Police carried out a safety compliance on 600 licensed venues, public events and businesses over a four-day period since dancing and alcohol bans were eased.
One venue was fined while 36 were cautioned about their COVID requirements involving physical distancing in public.
The Garden of Unearthly Delights was issued with a written warning from police and the Regal Theatre was cautioned.
Breaches include illegal dancing and lack of COVID plans, marshals or QR codes.
Earlier Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the transition committee had not made any changes to the rules.
Mr Stevens, the state COVID co-ordinator, said SA Health officials were working with the Royal Croquet Club and Garden of Unearthly Delights at changing management plans to boost crowd numbers.
He said there had been some “teething” issues with the introduction of dancing while drinking.
“It’s a reality with the circumstances we’re dealing with at the moment where things change very frequently and we’re trying to support businesses as they adapt to those changes,” he said.
“Ideally we’re aiming for a position where we don’t know there’s restrictions on a community - that’s what we’re all hoping for.”
A $15,000, 280,000 dose storage freezer was sent on Monday to SA’s fourth hub at the Lyell McEwin Hospital that will open next week.
Another five country hospitals will open in the coming weeks.
Revellers enjoyed the first full night of dancing while drinking alcohol at hundreds of licensed venues and major events across the state on Friday.
A police spokeswoman said SAPOL will “continue to work with business owners; and where appropriate, provide advice and education as required to any business owner or individual in relation to COVID-19 matters.
“In situations where there is a blatant disregard for the directions, or if a person or business has been previously warned for a similar breach, then a fine will be considered.”
The spokeswoman said officers were pleased with overall results.
The police-enforced rules cap dance floors at 50 people in a special 10sq m area in pubs, clubs or licensed venues with crowds of between 201 and 999 people.
Deputy chief public health officer, Chris Lease, said officials were working to fix Fringe “venue queuing and congested crowds”.
Adelaide Fringe Director and CEO Heather Croall urged patrons to abide by COVID rules.
“It is great to see so many festival-goers out and about supporting and enjoying the diverse range of shows on offer at Adelaide Fringe,” she said.
“It has been incredible to see our audiences supporting artists, buying tickets early, opting for e-ticketing and scanning in at each of the venues they visit.
“We encourage people to continue to do this and to follow COVID guidelines when attending venues and events to ensure the safety of fellow Fringe-goers.”
A Garden spokeswoman added: “We are excited to have had some relaxation of the dancing rules.
“Over many years, The Garden has worked closely with (SA Police) and other stakeholders whose advice is invaluable to ensure the safe management of events in this city.
“This is particularly important in these difficult times.”
Business SA’s policy director Andrew McKenna said the “more everyone complies … the lower the likelihood will be of going into another lockdown”.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Stephen Wade today defended the pace of the state’s vaccine rollout – despite Federal Government data showing South Australia had the third worst jab rate.
SA has vaccinated just over a third of its 4680 Pfizer doses.
SA Health said 149 jabs were given on Sunday for a total of 1,630 “high risk” workers vaccinated since last week’s launch on Monday.
A third vaccine hub will open today at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Speaking at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital, which The Advertiser revealed would open on Tuesday as the state’s third vaccine hub, Health Minister Stephen Wade conceded there would be issues with the rollout.
He revealed 20,000 Astrazeneca vaccines from the 300,000 batch from the Commonwealth government would be delivered to SA on Wednesday.
This would be rolled out to country areas and ambulance workers.
Another batch of Pfizer vaccines arrived on Tuesday.
“We have begun the rollout of the state’s biggest ever peace time operation,” he said
“Given the scale and complexity of the operation in front of us, we know that there will be road bumps, but we are determined to ensure the safe,efficient and timely delivery of vaccines in a prioritised manner over the course of 2021.”
The Transition Committee will meet today to assess the rollout and debate other bans.
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