SA Covid updates: 24 new cases, Steakhouse where Pat Cummins dined among new exposure sites
SA has recorded 24 new Covid cases as the government faced new criticism over the marathon testing queues inflicted on newly arriving travellers.
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New arrivals were forced to wait in four-hour queues to be tested for Covid on Thursday in an “embarrassing” welcome to South Australia.
Long lines formed outside the Royal Adelaide Hospital, where travellers who had arrived for the first day of the Ashes Test match went to be tested under SA Health regulations.
“What a welcome to SA, to be stuck for hours in the direct sun,” opposition health spokesman Chris Picton said. “It’s unacceptable and it’s embarrassing.”
As fly-in tourists, many did not have a car to get to a drive-through test site so had to opt for the RAH’s walk-in option.
“This points to a complete lack of preparation by the Marshall government before they opened the borders,” Mr Picton said.
In response, Premier Steven Marshall said the state had capacity for 20,000 tests a day, with test rates “almost at record levels”.
There were 19,398 tests on Wednesday, the highest since the borders opened on November 23.
Mr Marshall said arrivals did not have to isolate while awaiting their results.
It came as the state recorded 24 new Covid cases, with Omicron infections tripling from two to six. At least half of the new cases are in vaccinated people, and none of them are being treated in hospital.
The latest cases are five children under the age of 18, nine men aged 19-45 and 10 women aged 20-74.
Seven of the new cases acquired their infection interstate and one overseas.
Nine were infected in South Australia and are known contacts of a positive case.
Another four also acquired their infections locally but the source is currently under investigation.
In three cases, it is not known where the infections occurred. South Australia has recorded 159 cases since borders opened.
There are now 108 active cases – 67 are in home quarantine and 39 in supervised quarantine – while 1362 close contacts have been identified.
The number of cases in hospital remained at two. They are a man in his 30s and a man in his 60s, who are in the RAH in stable conditions. No cases are in intensive care.
The state’s vaccination rate stands at 91.5 per cent for one shot and 85.3 per cent for two.
SA Health named multiple new exposure sites including The Little Hunter city steakhouse where Test captain Pat Cummins ate on Wednesday night – but only for indoor diners.
SA Police issued a new restriction on international arrivals, effective immediately. It states that international arrivals are not allowed to enter high-risk settings or attend events that require Covid management plans for 14 days.
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