About 50 airline staff contract coronavirus in Adelaide Airport cluster

Authorities believe a coronavirus cluster among Adelaide Airport baggage handlers sparked the outbreak, with a staggering number of staff impacted.

Health authorities are dealing with a rise in cases linked to Adelaide Airport, despite a stabilising of overall South Australian cases.

Authorities on Friday reported 11 new SA patients – bringing the state’s total number of cases to 396 – but the airport cluster saw an increase to 19 cases.

About 50 Qantas and Jetstar staff, including pilots and cabin crew, have tested positive for coronavirus, the airline group confirmed.

Six baggage handlers from Adelaide Airport first tested positive for the virus on Tuesday.

Since then, at least 19 flight attendants, 14 baggage handlers and eight pilots have test positive, as well as five staff members from Jetstar, according to The Australian.

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While there was no evidence passengers had caught the virus from infected staff, Qantas said it could not rule that out. Picture: Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images.

Qantas travellers receiving their luggage at Adelaide Airport, after six Qantas baggage handlers have tested positive for COVID-19. Picture: Matt Loxton.

In a statement, Qantas medical director Ian Hosegood said there was no evidence passengers had caught the virus from infected staff — but could not rule it out.

“There's been no confirmed cases of transmission of the coronavirus to employees or customers on board our aircraft, or any aircraft globally for that matter. While this transmission is possible, current evidence suggests it's unlikely.”

Despite an increase in the number of cases, the state’s Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said 46 people were now considered recovered.

Even so, SA Health has advised anyone with COVID-19 symptoms who has been to the airport including the car park in the past fortnight to self-isolate and get tested.

The airport scare comes as police crackdown on those breaching social distancing measures across the state.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said SA Police had increased the number of checks on people in self-isolation in recent days and found 90 per cent of people were co-operating.