US tourists in quarantine in Barossa after testing positive to COVID-19 | Repat to open up beds for coronavirus patients
A group of 18 US tourists has been quarantined in the Barossa after a number of their travelling party tested positive for coronavirus.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Friday updates: Aged care worker tests positive
- National and world updates on coronavirus
- This story about the coronavirus crisis is free for all readers – please consider supporting our journalism with a subscription
A group of 18 American tourists is in quarantine in the Barossa Valley after 10 members of their travelling party tested positive for coronavirus.
After being in self-isolation for the past few days, a majority the middle-aged group, which travelled from the United States in the past fortnight, tested positive for COVID-19.
SA Health’s Chief Public Health Officer Dr Nicola Spurrier will later today reveal a sharp spike in the number of local cases.
No further specifics were immediately available.
The group is currently in isolation in their Barossa Valley accommodation, which the Sunday Mail is not naming for security reasons.
Authorities assured locals there was no there was no imminent, wider public risk. Urgent investigations are underway to track their movements.
After two tested positive on Friday night, the rest of the positive test results were returned today.
The group will be transferred to the Royal Adelaide Hospital later.
The accommodation referred The Advertiser to Tourism Barossa, which later deflected inquiries to SA Health.
NEW BEDS TO OPEN AT REPAT
Dozens of new hospital beds are planned for coronavirus patients at the old Repat hospital as part of official multimillion-dollar plans to reduce health system pressures.
At least $6.5m will be spent to create 90 beds in an upgrade to four former clinical wards at the Repat Health Precinct for the “dedicated care” of people with “mild” COVID-19 conditions.
Work will begin on Monday, and the beds to be opened in May, but Premier Steven Marshall said today that he hoped it won’t be needed.
He said the government was taking “swift and decisive action” to cushion expected devastating impacts from the virus.
“We are working around the clock to prepare our health system for the coming peak of the coronavirus to ensure South Australians have the best possible care,” he said.
“My Government is taking a strong and planned approach to create additional capacity within the health system.”
Mr Marshall said it was up to health experts how the new resources were used.
“We need to be flexible to respond to precisely what comes in South Australia,” he said.
“We have put this contract into place in an extraordinarily quick fashion and we are very grateful to SA Health and DPTI to get these contracts in place so we can get these beds available.”
Health Minister Stephen Wade said the announcement came after plans for 188 beds at ECH College Grove, Walkerville and city-based Wakefield Hospitals.
Mr Marshall said the government was trying to slow the disease’s spread, push out the peak until after winter and increase SA Health’s capacity.
“We can’t be too prepared for this event,” he said.
“Some people might criticise us for going too hard - maybe we are not going to need these beds.
“I hope we never have to activate these beds.
“But what we need to do is get ahead of the curve, putting in these facilities as quickly as possible and to make sure we are ready for when this peak hits.”
He said modelling was changing by the day but the best predictions were late April or early May for the peak to hit the eastern states and South Australia not long after.
-Andrew Hough
CALL FOR SCHOOL TEMPERATURE CHECKS
State Labor has called for tighter restrictions in schools including daily temperature checks for all staff and students.
Pointing to Singapore, which has been identified by Steven Marshall as a leading example, Opposition leader Peter Malianuskas andLabor’s education spokeswoman Susan Close said more work needs to be done in SA schools.
The pair said Singapore has implemented daily temperature checks for all staff and students, with those who record a higher temperature immediately sent home.
Singapore has also adopted staggered breaks to reduce the number of children gathering together.
“If schools are going to remain open during the coronavirus pandemic, we must introduce strict new protections for students and staff,” Mr Malinauskas said.
“This will not only protect staff and students, but the wider community as well.”
Dr Close added “At a minimum, all schools should be undertaking daily temperature checks of all staff and students, and anyone with a temperature should be sent home immediately.”
On Friday Mr Marshall said the latest health advice was that school closures, at that stage, could do more harm than good.
He has not ruled out school closures in the future.
-Matt Smith
PRISON VISITS IN SA SUSPENDED
Personal visits to South Australian prisoners will be suspended on Monday as the Corrections Department works to keep the state’s prisons coronavirus free.
The temporary restriction comes as the Australian Lawyers Alliance calls for nonviolent prisoners to be released on home detention to lower the risk of a catastrophic outbreak of the virus behind bars.
The visit suspension is among a raft of measures being rolled out across the state’s prisons including ordering of thermometers for all prisoners and changes to how searches are conducted.
A Corrections Department spokeswoman said the focus was on ensuring the virus did not enter the prison system.
“All prisoners across the state who report as unwell are medically assessed and screened,” she said.
“Staff and prisoners are vigilant and stringent, and are working together to prevent COVID-19 entering our prisons.
“Currently, no prisoner who has reported as unwell has met the criteria to be tested for COVID-19.
”If a prisoner met the criteria for testing for COVID-19, the prisoner would be isolated and the department’s strict policies put into place.”
Lawyers and other professionals will still be able to visit prisoners behind bars.
-Mitch Mott
AGED CARE WORKER TESTS POSITIVE
As the state’s confirmed tally of COVID-19 cases spiked by eight yesterday to 50, the St Louis Nursing Home, at Parkside, had barred all visitors and rostered on extra staff to keep the affected residents safely isolated in their rooms.
The worker at the 45-resident nursing home is believed to have contracted the virus while playing social basketball.
In a letter to families, director of care Sue Toner said the allied health worker, who had attended the centre on Monday “seeing some of our residents”, became unwell after a teammate who had played with her the previous Wednesday had tested positive to the virus.
She said no other residents showing any sickness signs.
“The nursing home is now in total lockdown,” the letter states.
An Unley High student is also among the latest confirmed cases as both Dr Spurrier and Premier Steven Marshall strongly defended SA Health’s handling of the case.
Read more developments from Friday.