SA’s hard border closure with WA dropped immediately as South African covid strain hits state

The hard border closure with WA will be dropped immediately, allowing more than 1300 people to leave quarantine, as SA records its first case of the mutant South African COVID strain.

A highly transmissible coronavirus strain originally from South Africa has been detected in the state for the first time, while the hard border with Western Australia has been scrapped.

SA Health today revealed genomic testing had found the virulent strain in a traveller, aged in his 40s, from Africa.

Details of the case emerged as Police Commissioner Grant Stevens lifted the hard border with WA after the snap five-day lockdown ended for Perth and swathes of the state’s southwest.

SA authorities said while it was the first time the super strain – known as B1351 and reported to be 50 per cent more contagious – was detected in South Australia, there was no wider public health risk.

Travellers wait at Adelaide Airport on Monday after SA closed its borders to WA. Picture: Emma Brasier.

The man, who had no symptoms, tested negative before he flew to Adelaide last Saturday but returned a positive result after a mandatory first-day check in SA. He was in a stable condition last night in the Pullman medi-hotel’s special infectious patient area after being transferred from within the Hindmarsh Square facility.

SA Health refused to disclose his country of origin but expatriates have returned from Tanzania, Nigeria and Uganda in recent weeks.

He is among two sick patients in the CBD medi-hotel along with a woman, aged in her 20s, who arrived from India but is considered to have an old infection.

Urging people to get tested, deputy chief public health officer Dr Emily Kirkpatrick yesterday said strict protocols were being observed. She said any patients with a super strain would spend longer in quarantine.

“We are concerned because we know there is that increased transmissibility,” she said.

“We don’t want to cause too much alarm … in the community, but it is important for people to be aware that this has come in. We are very certain that this is a very new onset infection that was picked up on a day-one test.”

Australia’s chief medical officer Paul Kelly said the country’s strategies were suppressing the more contagious strains.

He said Australia had only recorded 15 cases of the South African variant and 76 of the UK strain.

Mr Stevens said the mutant strains “elevates our level of concern” but he was “very satisfied” with medi-hotel protocols. The end of the WA hard border meant than 1300 people could leave quarantine in SA.

People entering SA from hotspot locations must still be tested on their first, fifth and 12th days since leaving WA.

There were no changes to rules on people entering from Victoria but people who have visited Greater Melbourne must monitor for symptoms.