SA records one new case on Monday as hopes grow for new Christmas freedoms
South Australia may have dodged a dreaded second coronavirus wave so far but the threat has not gone.
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South Australia enters a critical period over the next seven days to ensure no cases of community transmission, as Premier Steven Marshall confirms the state has avoided a dreaded second wave.
Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier today revealed the state’s worst cluster rose by one case to 27 patients.
She remained “quietly confident” of the outlook but urged high rates of testing and public mask use.
“It is a critical week this week, and probably the week after, to have that high index awareness about your own body and your symptoms,” Prof Spurrier said.
“We are not out of the woods yet if we have had any community transmission.”
The details emerged as the official COVID-19 committee today meets for the first time since last week’s lockdown in response to the Parafield cluster.
The Transition Committee, comprising of senior officials including Prof Spurrier and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, will discuss ways to open up the economy on December 1.
They will debate reopening the Victorian hard border, easing hospitality restrictions, including introducing standing up drinking, the launching of QR codes and possible relaxing of gathering numbers as well as other public activities.
The committee last met hours before a Lyell McEwin Hospital emergency department junior doctor, Dr Dharminy Thurairatnam, ordered tests on the cluster’s first patient 11 days ago.
Premier Steven Marshall, who today spoke with the “heroine” doctor, said the state had “stared down a catastrophic situation”.
“It’s because of the actions that we have taken, in conjunction with the great (public) co-operation … that we have avoided the second wave, avoiding 100 cases per day by mid December,” he said in reference to modelling released at the weekend.
“I’m feeling very positive and … very optimistic that as we head into Christmas, that we will be experiencing new-found freedoms and celebrating well with all of our family and friends.”
Prof Spurrier, who repeatedly said she had “no regrets” advising the lockdown, said the latest female patient tested positive at the weekend after at least two negative virus checks over the past eight days.
The woman, who is recovering in the Pullman medi-hotel, is part of the northern suburbs family linked of the cluster’s source – a cleaner at the outbreak’s epicentre, the Peppers Waymouth Adelaide hotel.
At least 16 relatives, who work in medi-hotels, aged-care and correctional services, fell ill after mostly catching the virus at a family event.
More than 4000 contacts remain in quarantine. One patient, a man aged in his 30s, remains in hospital.
Prof Spurrier, who revealed she hadn’t visited a supermarket for a “couple of months”, urged high testing after a record week in which daily checks hit more than 17,000.
Anyone with even mild symptoms should get tested.
She wants 8000 to 9000 tests a day. There were 8689 on Sunday.
SA Health said masks should be worn in shopping centres, supermarkets, hospitals, health or aged-care sites, as well as on public transport.
Three people have been fined for breaching quarantine.
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