South Australia records no new locally acquired cases as state emerges from lockdown

On its first day out of lockdown, SA has recorded no new locally acquired Covid-19 cases, but the Premier warns they are not out of the woods yet.

South Australia has recorded no new locally acquired Covid-19 cases as residents emerge from lockdown, but there are fears of more infections to come.

Premier Steven Marshall said the overnight figure was “absolutely fantastic” news and meant the Modbury cluster remained at 19.

“People are going back to work today, students are going back to schools today and that’s absolutely fantastic,” he told reporters on Wednesday.

“We’re out of lockdown and the people of SA should feel a great sense of pride with what we’ve been able to jointly achieve.”

But the Premier warned SA was not entirely “out of the woods yet” because there were still people quarantining as a result of the outbreak.

“There are still a large number of people, in fact thousands of people, who are in directed quarantine,” he said.

“It is quite possible that in the coming days we will see new infections in SA, but what I’m hopeful for is that those infections will be people that are already in that quarantine arrangement – not people who are out and about in the community.”

SA was forced into a lockdown amid concerns the Delta strain was in the community. Picture: Brenton Edwards / NCA NewsWire

SA was plunged into a seven-day lockdown last week amid concerns the Delta strain was circulating in the community.

But the stay-at-home direction lifted at midnight as the state recorded zero new locally acquired cases on Tuesday.

Mr Marshall announced the “good news” on Tuesday but said several restrictions would remain in place for one week – starting at 12.01am on Wednesday – as part of the “sensible” pathway out of the lockdown.

Those restrictions include having only seated food and drink consumption – both indoors and outdoors – allowed, with a one person per 4sq m density rule.

Masks will be required in all personal care, public transport and health care services as well as all indoor public shared spaces, like supermarkets and office space, and schools for students aged over 12.

Private gatherings will be capped at 10 people per household, including people who live at the property, while weddings and funerals can only have up to 50 people.

Gyms can reopen with a one person per 8sq m density requirement, and dancing, singing or consuming shisha will be banned.

Mr Marshall also revealed on Wednesday that testing numbers had increased to more than 16,000.

“What this says to me is that the people of SA do not want to go into an extended lockdown,” he said.

Tough restrictions will remain in place for a further week after the lockdown lifted at midnight. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe / NCA NewsWire

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said a man and a woman, both aged in their 80s, remained in a stable condition in hospital.

Professor Spurrier also warned about a hoax text message that had been going around, purportedly from SA Health, telling recipients they must immediately quarantine in their homes.

“It makes it very, very difficult for us, and I’m sure all South Australians will be quite irritated to hear about that,” she said.

Professor Spurrier said SA Health would never send a text message asking people to call a phone number – they would instead direct people to the department’s website.

“If there’s any doubt whatsoever, we have a call centre – our Covid call centre,” she said.

Meanwhile, there are now about 80 Covid-19 exposure sites in SA.

SA Health has revised the time for the TAFE SA Regency Campus (C and F Block, and iCentral) – which is a tier 1 location – asking anyone who has been to the facility on Monday, July 19 from 2.45pm to 3.45pm to immediately get tested and quarantine for 14 days with their household contacts.

Further investigations have downgraded the Elizabeth City Centre in Elizabeth to tier 3, so people who visited the site now only need to get tested and quarantine until they receive their first negative.

The JB Hi-Fi at Modbury, Chemist Warehouse in Pelican Plaza at Ridgehaven, Coles at St Agnes and the St Agnes Shopping Centre are no longer considered Covid-19 exposure locations.