South Australia records 4506 new Covid-19 cases and one death, as Premier tests negative

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has received his PCR test result after having dinner with his Covid-positive daughter.

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall has tested negative for Covid-19, as the state recorded 4506 new cases and one more death.

In a social media video, Mr Marshall said the death was a 90-year-old man who was in an aged care facility.

There are 176 people in hospital, with 18 of those in intensive care and two patients on ventilators, including one in a critical condition.

More than 300 of the new cases came from rapid antigen tests that were lodged with SA Health for the first time.

Meanwhile, Mr Marshall announced he had returned a negative PCR test but would remain in isolation after having dinner with his Covid-positive daughter.

“I’ll continue to work from home for the seven days from my contact,” he said.

SA Pathology testing sites waiting times at 2.30pm:
Hindmarsh 1-2 hrs
Elizabeth South 2-3 hrs
Ridgehaven 3 hrs
Port Adel 2 hrs
Vic Park
-Bookings 2 hrs
-Non bookings 3-4 hrs
Bedford Park 1 hr
RAH <1 hr
Mt Gambier 2-3 hrs
Bordertown <1 hr pic.twitter.com/3ySE6IuTyl

— SA Health (@SAHealth) January 9, 2022

He previously announced a widening of the state’s vaccine mandate.

By January 29, all healthcare, aged care and disability sector workers must get a booster shot or provide evidence of a booking within four weeks of becoming eligible.

“I do need to give advance warning that we are very strongly considering making it mandatory for the booster in other sectors as well, including childcare and the education sector,” Mr Marshall said on Saturday.

A decision about when children will go back to school for face-to-face learning will be made by the end of the week.

People are urged to get vaccinated. Picture: Matt Jelonek/Getty Images

Western Australia recorded two new cases of Covid-19 overnight.

One is an interstate traveller in isolation, while the other is a local case who is a known close contact of two cases from the backpacker cluster.

“This person has been in quarantine and is not considered to have been infectious in the community,” WA Health said in a statement on Sunday.

The total number of cases related to the Delta backpacker cluster now stands at 22.

Restrictions, including the use of masks, were reintroduced in the Perth and the Peel regions just before Christmas after a French backpacker from Queensland spread the virus. Those restrictions have since eased.

Regarding the hotel quarantine security guard at the Hyatt Hotel and his household contact who tested positive for the virus, they have 27 contacts in total so far, with all testing negative.

WA’s ban on rapid antigen tests will lift on Monday.