New case, but not infectious as SA examines border reopening
South Australia will consider reopening borders with the ACT and NSW on Friday, with the Premier saying it’s “not far off”. It comes as SA records a new case but it is not infectious.
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SA Health on Friday announced an overseas traveller, aged in her 20s, had become the state’s 466th COVID-19 case as the number of tests hit 416,649.
But after extensive testing, officials classified her as an “old infection” who doesn’t pose any public risk.
Given she is not an active, or infectious, patient, this means the state remains coronavirus free.
Officials said the woman, who arrived in Adelaide on Sunday, August 30, immediately entered quarantine at the Peppers Hotel before she tested positive to COVID-19 on her day 12 test. “
“Further serology testing has confirmed the result represents an old infection and there is no risk to public health,” an SA Health spokeswoman said.
“The woman remains in hotel quarantine in SA and is not considered an active case but as this is the first time she has returned a positive test, the case has been added to our state tally.
“The woman returned a negative day one test, however it is not uncommon for people with an old infection to return both positive and negative results on subsequent tests as the virus continues to shed.”
It comes as South Australian officials will on Friday look at lifting South Australia’s border restrictions with New South Wales.
The South Australian Transition Committee will meet on Friday where the border closures will be discussed, Premier Steven Marshall said.
“The New South Wales numbers have been tracking down and we are very pleased about that,” Mr Marshall said.
“We will be looking very carefully at opening up the border with New South Wales and the ACT both tomorrow and again next Tuesday. I do not think it is that far off.
“I do not want to give anyone any false hope because quite frankly we are not going to do it unless it is absolutely safe to do it, but we are heading in that direction.”
On Monday Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, who is SA’s COVID-19 co-ordinator, said
border bans may be lifted with NSW and the ACT “within days”, while Victorian travel exemptions could be relaxed.
In July Mr Marshall announced planned border openings with NSW and the ACT, for July 20, had been set back over fears of a super spreader event at a highway pub in NSW, used by many truck drivers travelling across the country, including the SA border.
Meanwhile, Queensland’s Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk came under fire from Scott Morrison after a young Queensland woman living in Canberra was blocked from attending her father’s funeral, despite the ACT having no cases for 61 days.
The case is expected to trigger further pressure on the states to reopen to other COVID-safe regions as the Prime Minister pushes for a ‘hot spot’ model.