South Australia records first locally acquired Covid case in more than 200 days

A state premier has hit out at panic buying after people rushed to stock up when the first local Covid-19 cases in 211 days were revealed.

Health officials have resisted locking down South Australia after the state reported local transmission for the first time in more than 200 days.

Five locally acquired cases were reported in a family and directly linked to the mine outbreak in the Northern Territory.

Premier Steven Marshall revealed the father was infected while travelling through the NT before passing the virus to his family, but all were already in isolation and the risk to the community was minimal.

The new infections had been reported widely in the media before the update, triggering hysteria among many who flocked to supermarkets to stock up on household essentials.

“Obviously people are concerned with the media speculation this morning, but there is no lockdown,” Mr Marshall told reporters.

Big queues at Woolworths at Hilton as panic buying escalates across #Adelaide despite assurances by @marshall_steven that the city is not facing a lockdown as potential cases from a NT mining cluster grow. Updates @theTiserpic.twitter.com/kt4fPaEQxf

— Col James (@ColinJamesTiser) June 30, 2021

“With South Australia, we have excellent supply of all food and other appropriate groceries that need to be procured if there is a situation, there has never been a need to be panic buying in South Australia.

“Frankly, it is a natural human behaviour but again I will just say to people, please be sensible about this, no lockdown in South Australia, no need whatsoever four panic buying.”

The Premier insisted the five cases were not infectious in the community.

The miner, who infected his wife and three of his four children, is the same case that sent Alice Springs into a snap three-day lockdown on Wednesday.

The entire family have now been transferred to Tom’s Court hotel, which has been dedicated for Covid positive patients.

South Australia’s streak of going 211 days without community transmission has been broken. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Mr Marshall said if South Australia had information he had been out in the broader community there wouldn’t of “been any other choice” but a lockdown, but because he was isolating at home they were satisfied increased restrictions were the appropriate response at this stage.

As of Tuesday, the state had gone 211 days without recorded any community transmission; the last was related to the Parafield cluster that threw the state into a three-day lockdown in November last year.

Earlier this week, the potential seeding of Covid-19 from interstate spooked SA authorities into introducing tougher restrictions that came into effect at 12.01am on Tuesday.

SA authorities introduced changes to prevent the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant that has wreaked havoc across the nation, throwing majority of other jurisdictions into lockdowns.

Under the restrictions, masks will need to be worn in high risk settings like aged care facilities and hospitals, and were “highly recommended” for commuters using public transport and rideshare vehicles.

The state is set to record its first locally acquired case on Wednesday. Picture: Naomi Jellicoe

No communal facilities, like buffets or smoking shisha, are permitted.

Singing has also been banned at indoor seated entertainment facilities, such as choirs and karaoke bars.

Another new restriction was introduced on Wednesday to limit household gatherings to just 10 people.

Mask wearing has also been recommended in public where social distancing and contact tracing is more difficult, such as a shopping centre.