SA Health bracing for as many as 25 new cases of COVID-19 as overseas visitors arrive – PM urges states to keep easing restrictions
SA officials are preparing for a spike in cases of COVID-19 with international visitors set to arrive this weekend. But it won’t stop the state from pushing on with the easing of restrictions.
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South Australia could record up to 25 more coronavirus cases from international visitors arriving in the state this weekend, authorities warn, as theatres were given the green light to open.
SA Health is bracing for a “number” of new cases over the coming days as more than 300 Australians return home from overseas.
The details emerged as authorities on Friday said the country was embarking on a “suppression” campaign against COVID-19 rather than “eliminating” the virus.
A flight was arriving from the Indian city of Mumbai via Singapore on Saturday while an Australian Defence Force plane would arrive at the northern suburb’s Edinburgh Air Force base
Health Minister Stephen Wade revealed that, based on an overseas rate of between 5 and 10 per cent, this equated to up to 25 new COVID-19 cases.
He said while this number appeared high, it did not reflect poorly on the state.
“We should expect to see a number of new cases in SA over the next week or so,” he said on Friday.
Earlier Premier Steven Marshall said the state’s borders would reopen on July 20, but only if the situation in Victoria was safe.
He also revealed theatres would reopen on Monday after high level discussions with SA Health.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said a new online application process would make it easier to manage the borders being reopened.
He said the hotel quarantine system was suitable despite concerns interstate about guards becoming infected.
Earlier on Friday, following a meeting of the National Cabinet, the states agreed to keep lifting coronavirus restrictions despite Victoria’s coronavirus outbreak.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Australians should have confidence in Victoria’s plan to get a lid on the outbreak, where there have been 30 new cases today.
“There will be outbreaks, what matters is the response,” Mr Morrison said in a press conference after today’s cabinet meeting.
“As you see the response on the ground, that is a reassurance to Australians all around the country that we can deal with this, and we will continue to deal with this.
“And while it may cause concern and anxiety in some parts of the community, please be reassured, states and territories, the Commonwealth, we’re all working together to ensure that where these things happen then we can appropriately respond with all the resources that are necessary, with a tailored plan to deal with the very specific nature of any particular event.”
Mr Morrison says he expects all states will fully reopen their borders in July, except Western Australia, despite a coronavirus outbreak in parts of Melbourne.
But states could still essentially block people from hot spots by requiring them to isolate on arrival.
“If you’ve come from a hot spot, well, you’ll have to go into quarantine and that’s entirely reasonable,” Mr Morrison said.
Interstate visitors might have to sign a statutory declaration about where they’ve come from when going to another state.
It did not make sense to have “broad brush-type restrictions” to ban entire states, Mr Morrison said.
“Of course, people shouldn’t be going out of those [hot spot] areas and nor should people be going into those areas. That’s how you manage an outbreak. That’s exactly what the Victorian Government is doing,” he said.
Mr Morrison also confirmed international students would not be allowed to return to Australia until internal borders were open.
Quarantine periods were under review by the medical panel, but it has opted to keep it at 14 days.
Mr Marshall on Thursday said he was hopeful South Australia could be selected as a trial site for international students to come back to local universities.
“South Australia was one of the early examples of the regional lockdown model with the Barossa Valley.
“It was very effective and there’s been no further cases in the Barossa Valley since.
“We pioneered it in South Australia we now need it to be adopted on national basis.”
Under a regional lockdown model people from all states would be able to travel across the SA borders.
But if they were from an area with a high infection rate they would need to undertake a 14 day self isolation period monitored by SA Police.
SA Pathology will process around 500 COVID-19 tests a day for the Victorian Government as it struggles to contain outbreaks while South Australia remains free of any new cases.
The assistance follows a crack team of “cluster-busting, curve-crushing, virus-vanquishing” SA Health contact tracing and containment experts flying to Victoria this week to help them deal with an alarming rise in infections.
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Ahead of today’s meeting, South Australia officially signed up to the HomeBuilder package, which will enable $25,000 grants for renovations and new home builds to be rolled out in the state.
The building industry is pushing for the state government to follow Tasmania’s lead and allow construction to begin within six months of a contract being signed, instead of three months.
“HomeBuilder has the potential to be a massive success but it’s important the government listens to the industry so the scheme is implemented in a way that is fair, efficient and practical,” Master Builders SA boss Ian Markos said.
-additional reporting by Matt Smith and Brad Crouch.