South Australia’s ‘miraculous’ escape from ‘rogue’ removalists revealed

One state has ‘dodged a bullet’ after continuing to record no local Covid-19 cases despite a visit from infected removalists.

South Australians have “dodged a bullet” as it continues to record no new locally acquired cases of Covid-19 after infected removalists entered the state.

Premier Steven Marshall said authorities were still keeping a close eye on the ongoing outbreak in Victoria and NSW but said his state was “fortunate” to not see any seeding so far.

“The same removalists in Victoria have led to a five-day lockdown,” he said on Saturday.

“Here, in South Australia, miraculously they spent five hours with a family and there’s no transmission at all.

“I think we’ve dodged a bullet.”

But Mr Marshall moved to tighten border restrictions with Victoria, with all of the state locked out of South Australia from midday on Saturday.

“We hate to put any new restrictions in place but the reality is we don’t want a lockdown here,” he said.

“We have to take action to make sure we can minimise the chances.”

Premier Steven Marshall said SA ‘dodged a bullet’ after it recorded zero locally acquired cases on Saturday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Mariuz

Tougher internal restrictions in South Australia came into effect on Friday that reduced the density requirement to one person per 2sq m at businesses, masks became mandatory in high risk settings, a cap of 150 people at private gatherings was introduced and dancing is no longer permitted in nightclubs.

The three removalists from NSW entered SA via Victoria to help a family permanently relocate to the state.

One of those three workers initially tested positive and it was later discovered that another of his colleagues also contracted the virus.

The trio attended the family’s home in McLaren Vale and did not wear masks during the five-hour period they were in contact.

The family have so far returned negative tests and are completing 14 days of isolation.

Victoria’s Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar described the removalists as “rogue operators”.

“Books will be thrown when it’s time, when it’s ready to throw them, and I’m exceptionally frustrated at the pace and transparency of information coming from the removalists’ exposure,” Mr Weimar said.

Anyone who has been to one of the listed exposure sites at Tailem Bend is asked to isolate for two weeks and get tested on days one, five and 13. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

On their way to that residence, the removalists made numerous stops and anyone who visited the three exposure locations in Tailem Bend have been asked to isolate for 14 days and get tested on days one, five and 13.

Those locations are:

• OTR Motorsport Park service station, Dukes Highway, on Friday, July 9 from 7.20am to 8.15am;
• Coolabah Tree Cafe, on Friday, July 9 from 5.20pm to 7pm;
• Shell Coles Express Tailem Bend, including bathrooms, on Friday, July 9 from 5.20pm to 7pm.