SA Health update shows Covid-19 cases, deaths rising in new wave

Rising Covid-19 cases and deaths have prompted calls for the return of masks to protect the state’s most vulnerable as the festive season approaches.

Rising Covid-19 cases and deaths have prompted calls for the return of masks to protect the state’s most vulnerable as the festive season approaches.

There were 3797 new Covid-19 cases reported in the past week – an increase of about 1000 on the previous seven days and the highest number recorded since early September.

Authorities had predicted a new summer wave of the virus would hit in November and are tracking two new variants of concern.

The recent scrapping of isolation requirements and increased social activity as the festive season begins are tipped to further spread the virus.

Australian Medical Association SA President Michelle Atchison said waning testing rates meant case numbers “could be bigger” than reported.

“People aren’t testing or reporting (results),” Dr Atchison said. “I think the reality is people (who test positive) are coming out into the community infective. “And we’re coming into the season where people are going to be gathering, with the super cars (race), the Christmas Pageant.”

Dr Atchison said the State Government should reinstate mask requirements in health care settings and consider restrictions in nursing homes.

“We are seeing pockets of infection in aged care sites and they are our most vulnerable,” she said.

However, Premier Peter Malinauskas said “at this stage” there was “no need” to change current policy.

“We don’t have an appetite to introduce restrictions because we’re at a very different phase of the pandemic,” he said.

The latest weekly SA Health Covid-19 update reported the deaths of 29 people with the virus, up from five reported in the previous week.

AMA SA president Dr Michelle Atkinson

Premier Peter Malinauskas said there were no plans to change SA’s mask rules. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

However, some deaths may have occurred prior and only now been reported.

Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said SA was experiencing a new wave of the virus but it was “not going to be as high” as previous spikes because of vaccination rates and the availability of antiviral medications.

“Modelling suggests it won’t have as much of an impact on our hospitals,” she told ABC Radio Adelaide.

However, just 67,000 South Australians had received a fourth vaccine booster and Professor Spurrier urged more people aged 30-plus to take up the option.

She said aged care centres were still required to reinstate mask mandates if one resident tested positive to Covid-19.

More than 15,500 people sought a PCR test in the past week, however operating times as many drive-through testing sites have been significantly reduced.

A new Omicron variant known as XBB is involved in a surge in cases overseas and Dr Atchison said it was more able to “get around” vaccines and immunity from previous infection.

SA Health says there have been 24 cases of XBB detected by genome sampling in SA so far.