South Australia hits two weeks of no new COVID-19 cases but no end in sight for border closures
SA has hit a major milestone in its battle against coronavirus but health officials warn there is a long road ahead before interstate travel will be free and easy again.
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South Australia’s borders will remain closed “for some time” to help safeguard the state’s fortnight streak of zero new coronavirus cases, the state’s top doctor has warned.
In a major development, chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier announced the total number of local virus patients had remained at 438 for 14 days, while COVID-19 has been eliminated from regional areas.
Prof Spurrier was “pleased” to hit the significant milestone because medical evidence suggested a fortnight was a full incubation cycle, although she warned new cases should be expected in coming months.
While authorities have said two incubation cycles, or 28 days, was needed to lift restrictions, the national Cabinet will announce a road map to a new, “safe” society.
Premier Steven Marshall has flagged easing restrictions from early next week.
The details emerged after The Advertiser revealed SA faced a fresh risk from state border crossings, prompting Prof Spurrier to issue a new public health alert to prevent a potential second wave of cases as Victoria battles a fresh virus cluster.
Police figures show 27,994 people have legally travelled into the state in the six weeks since restrictions came into force, including 890 today.
“Some of the other states have seen a bit of an uptick of their number of new cases, particularly in Victoria,” said Prof Spurrier
“So, unfortunately, that does still mean we will still have our borders closed for some time, and I do appreciate when you do have loved ones interstate that it does make it more difficult.”
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She could not say when it would be safe to relax border restrictions.
“It’s more useful to thinking about the principles rather than actual dates,” she said.
“And the principles are when we feel there is no further risk of community transmission … that it is a low level or it is at a similar level to what we have.
“And then that would be the time to consider those border restrictions. This hasn’t gone away. This is still a threat.”
SA Health officials are increasingly concerned the consistent low number of cases is causing public complacency around social distancing and limiting gatherings to a maximum of 10 people.
In SA, 432 patients, or 99.5 per cent for the total 438, have recovered.
There are just two patients being treated in their homes.
Another two metropolitan patients were today cleared of the virus but remain in the Royal Adelaide Hospital recovering from its effects.
SA Health heat maps show those four cases are located in West Torrens, Burnside and Campbelltown council areas.
Official figures show 227 men, or 52 per cent, have fallen ill while 211 women have contracted the virus.
The median age of patient is 53 years old, the youngest was an eight-month-old baby boy while the eldest patient was 85.
The Opposition has called for an “urgent plan” to combat a record backlog of more than 20,000 elective surgeries that were relaunched last week after bans amid the pandemic crisis.
The Government said overdue wait times had been cut from 1683 patients under Labor to more than 600 cases in March after spending $45 million.
The overdue list is currently 2,124 people, according to SA Health data.
Health Minister Stephen Wade dismissed the 20,000 figure as “quite irrelevant”. He said it was would challenging to overcome issues created by the pandemic including waiting lists.
