South Australia’s latest Covid-19 scare sparks surge in QR code data check-ins

An SA family who caught the Covid-19 Delta variant have been praised for their actions, which authorities say helped the state’s QR system prevent a crisis.

South Australia’s latest Covid-19 scare has triggered a new surge in use of the state’s electronic contact-tracing system, official figures show.

Government data shows the weekly QR code check-ins hit more than 12.7 million last week, which was an almost 10 per cent surge from more than 11.6 million recorded in mid-June.

The latest figures from the Department of Premier of Cabinet, which manages the data for SA Health, show check-ins have averaged between 1.8 million and 1.9 million a day since a fly-in, fly-out miner became infectious late last month.

Usage hit a high of 2 million check-ins a day in early June and fell below 1 million a day, a fortnight later.

The latest data shows there have been almost 253 million QR code check-ins since the mandatory system launched in December.

Kristen and Adam Ryan have been praised by health authorities for their actions after learning they had contracted the Covid-19 Delta variant. Picture: Supplied by family

More than 35,300 locations and almost 1.8 million unique mobile numbers are registered.

Separate SA Police figures show since a May crackdown, almost 150 people and businesses have either been fined or cautioned for failing to comply with emergency directions including for QR code breaches.

The Advertiser last week reported SA Health contact tracers had used the encrypted data for the first time to track possible Covid-19 community transmission

Father-of-four, Adam Ryan, aged in his 30s, tested positive to the Delta variant after returning from the NT’s Tanami goldmine site, almost 550km northwest of Alice Springs.

His wife, Kristen, also in her 30s, and their four children – three daughters and a son aged under 10 including a baby – also contracted the virus.

The family, who live in Adelaide’s northeast, are recovering in the CBD’s Tom’s Court Covid facility.

Kristen and Adam Ryan’s children and family dog Madeline. Picture: Supplied by family

The Ryan children are all sick. Picture: Supplied by family

A “double ring” was placed around 344 primary and 134 secondary contacts to isolate.

These included those at Adelaide Airport, where CCTV showed My Ryan spent 4½ minutes after returning on Virgin flight VA1742 from Alice Springs on Friday June 25.

Mr Ryan also drove through the KFC at Torrensville while all 116 fellow Virgin travellers were also traced and isolated. All tested negative.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens, who is the state’s Covid-19 co-ordinator, said it was “fantastic” contact tracers successfully used the QR data.

Mr Stevens, along with chief public health officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier and Premier Steven Marshall, praised the family for following health orders to isolate.

“I think it served South Australia well and we could have been looking at a very different scenario had they not done that,” Mr Stevens said.

“And that really would have tested our QR code data as well, had we had multiple exposure sites across South Australia and Adelaide, and we needed to track those people down.

“QR data would have been absolutely critical.”

A DPC spokesman said there were no data breaches or use by anyone apart from SA Health contact tracers.

“It’s an important tool that enables us to isolate cases as soon as possible, to minimise and prevent community transmission,” he said.

Originally published as South Australia’s latest Covid-19 scare sparks surge in QR code data check-ins