Two more people infected with Covid-19 die in SA

South Australia has recorded another jump in COVID cases and two more deaths as confusion reigns over “close contacts”.

South Australia has recorded two more deaths among people infected with Covid-19, as confusion continues about the definition of a “close contact” in the state.

Premier Steven Marshall said the deaths were two residents at aged care facilities.

“There hasn’t been a determination of the cause of death, but we do know that both of these people were Covid-positive at the time of their passing,” he told reporters on Friday.

He said the deaths had been referred to the coroner.

The deaths follow that of a child under the age of two and Mr Marshall revealed the family had pleaded for privacy.

“This is a traumatic time for their family, and certainly my condolences go out to that family,” he said.

“And, of course, the family of the two people whose deaths we are reporting this morning.”

SA recorded 2093 positive cases overnight.

There are 44 people in hospital, with four of them in intensive care.

Mr Marshall said they were all in a stable condition but one was on a ventilator.

SA had a record day of testing on Thursday, with more than 25,000 tests.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall delivered the grim news on Friday. Picture: Emma Brasier

Meanwhile, many South Australians have been left confused after the state government appeared to agree with a national cabinet decision to redefine “close contacts” but were then contradicted by local health authorities.

Asked why SA was straying away from the national cabinet definition, Mr Marshall said he did not believe that was the case.

“No, I don’t think we have. We made a decision yesterday at national cabinet to significantly narrow down our definition of ‘close contacts’ because we’re at a different phase of the overall disease,” he said.

“So, in SA now you’re a close contact if you’re a household or intimate partner, or those two exceptional circumstances in SA.

“(First), if it is related to a vulnerable cohort. For example, an aged care facility, Aboriginal community, where there’s no logic in narrowing that down because those two communities are more likely of higher-level illness.

“The other one, of course, is where we do have an identified transmission site.”

Mr Marshall said authorities would not direct people as close contacts.

“We don’t have the capacity to be doing that for this stage of the disease,” he said.

“People do need to be aware that if they’re out dining with somebody who is a positive case for four or five hours, it doesn’t really matter whether you’re living with them or not, you are going to be more vulnerable.

“So it’s important for people to take that protection — whether it’s isolating themselves, getting a test, or just simply monitoring their symptoms.”

❗️REMINDER❗️
The following testing sites are currently closed and reopen at 5.30pm due to hot weather:

Elizabeth South
Hampstead
Repat
Victoria Park
Ridgehaven
Bedford Park
Port Adelaide
Aldinga
RAH
Bordertown
Mount Gambier
Port Augusta
Tailem Bend
Yamba pic.twitter.com/Mcch2DBteg

— SA Health (@SAHealth) December 31, 2021

While it has been suggested that a close contact could be someone who spends as little as 15 minutes with a person, Mr Marshall said it was “not as simple” as that.

He also denied national cabinet had agreed to a time frame of four hours.

“We basically narrowed it down to those two particular areas, where we had commonality across all jurisdictions, where household and intimate contacts were automatically determined as close contacts,” he said.

“But in addition to that, we have a state-by-state exemption. Our two areas are for vulnerable communities and also where we have identified transmission sites.

“In addition to that in SA, we think it‘s in the best interests, from a public health perspective, to provide further details for people about the likely transmission from a positive case.

“If you have been in a household-like environment, where you have spent an extended period of time with somebody, then you need to consider that for yourself.

“But we won’t be in a position to be making a direction that they’re close contacts.

“People are going to have to look at this from their own particular circumstances.

“Were they wearing masks, not wearing masks? Were they indoors or were they outdoors? Were they in a confined space or not? Were they vaccinated or not? There’s a lot of things to take into consideration.”

Most close contacts will receive an SMS from SA Health. However, if you know you are a close contact, please do not wait for the SMS – get tested and isolate immediately. pic.twitter.com/VHx9n9P6I9

— SA Health (@SAHealth) December 30, 2021

The Premier warned it was more important than ever for people to monitor for symptoms.

“Quite frankly, many of us are going to become casual contacts, in the very least, with somebody with Omicron in the coming months. That is a fact,” he said.

“This is why it’s so important that people monitor their symptoms. This is the number one message.”

Mr Marshall also announced on Friday that effective immediately, there would no longer be a requirement for people coming into SA to use EntryCheck SA.

“This is no longer required, and there will no longer be a requirement for people coming across the border to do a rapid antigen test prior to coming,” he said.

“It was not a good use of our resources at the moment, and so the EntryCheck requirement has been removed, the rapid antigen test requirement has been removed.”

Mr Marshall said the quarantine requirement for fully vaccinated international arrivals would also be removed from midnight.

Originally published as Two more people infected with Covid-19 die in SA