Coronavirus in SA: 38 more cases diagnosed and second stimulus package unveiled as Easter school holidays extended
South Australia has recorded another big jump in coronavirus cases and a third man is in intensive care, as the State Government brings forward the Easter school holidays to allow teachers to create remote learning plans for students.
SA News
Don't miss out on the headlines from SA News. Followed categories will be added to My News.
South Australian coronavirus updates for Thursday, March 26.
There are now 235 COVID-19 cases in SA after the biggest daily rise in cases to date – but encouragingly, there appears to be minimal community transmission of the virus so far within our borders.
The state’s schools will begin the Easter holidays a week early as teachers race to establish remote learning plans, and the State Government is pouring $650 million more into the economy to support businesses and jobs amid a worsening global economic crisis.
LARGEST DAILY RISE IN CASES TO DATE
There have been 38 new cases of coronavirus diagnosed in South Australia in the past day. SA Health reported at its daily briefing on Thursday that half of the new cases were people who travelled on the Ruby Princess cruise ship, which controversially disembarked in Sydney.
The statewide total is now 235, 60 of whom contracted the virus on board a cruise liner.
SA chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said the vast majority of confirmed SA cases were people who had travelled overseas or interstate.
One more SA resident has gone into ICU treatment since Wednesday.
The 50-year-old man joins two other men in around the clock care, aged 68 and 76. All are in a stable condition.
The new infections today range from a 10-year-old to patients in their 70s.
Dr Spurrier said she could not provide any information about the 10-year-old’s school or location but said existing lockdown and contact tracing protocols would be followed.
“What is reassuring to me is that the majority (of SA cases) have come from cruise ships ... evidence we haven’t got that sustained community transmission that is my main concern,” she said.
A dedicated coronavirus information hotline has been set up for South Australians, who can phone 1800 253 787 between 8am-8pm, seven days a week.
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS EXTENDED
Easter school holidays in South Australia will be extended by four days.
The break, originally scheduled to begin on April 10, will instead begin on April 6.
Education Minister John Gardner said the extra four days would be classed as pupil-free days at all public schools and preschools to enable teachers to “plan and prepare” for a transition to flexible learning arrangements in Term 2, when some students would be on school grounds and others at home.
Catholic and independent schools would implement similar arrangements, Mr Gardner said.
“With the increasing number of children absent from our schools, our teachers need this time to prepare for the difficult challenge of meeting the needs of learners who are at home,” he said.
“For those parents and carers who are able to keep their children at home, well supervised and in an environment of learning, we support this.”
“We are providing support for those families through the Our Learning SA website – a key resource for families and educators across the state to assist in transitioning to remote learning. This resource will be built upon every day,” Mr Gardner continued.
“Our schools, preschools and early childhood services do also need to remain available to support children of families in different circumstances, including people in our communities who cannot do their necessary work from home, along with a number of vulnerable children who need the opportunity to be supported at school.”
The Education Department is working to develop options for vacation care during the four pupil-free days and school holidays.
More information on the school holidays here.
NEW $650 MILLION STATE STIMULUS PACKAGE
Premier Steven Marshall has announced details for the State Government’s second stimulus package.
The $650 million package will be split between two new funds.
A $300m Business and Jobs Support Fund will be used to directly assist individual businesses and industry sectors facing potential collapse and the loss of thousands of jobs due to the ongoing impacts of coronavirus and necessary new restrictions to limit its spread.
And a new $250m Community and Jobs Support Fund will help assist community organisations, such as sporting, arts and recreational bodies, non-profit organisations and some other industry sectors
Mr Marshall said this fund will also help with training of South Australians seeking new skills and employment and to assist organisations meet increased demand for services including emergency relief.
SA’s second stimulus package also includes
■ Payroll tax relief
■ Land tax relief
■ Relief on liquor licence fees and charges
■ Cost of living concessions
■ Access to accrued leave for public servants
ADELAIDE GP: ‘HELP WE NEED ISN’T COMING’
An Adelaide doctor on the frontline of SA’s coronavirus effort has broken down, saying GPs are not getting the help they need and are being forced to do twice as much for half the pay.
Former AMA SA president Dr Rod Pearce AM choked back tears in a call to ABC Radio Adelaide on Thursday morning as he described the burden on GPs at the coalface of a surge in demand for medical services.
“The help we need isn’t coming,” he said.
EXTRA HYGIENE PRECAUTIONS FOR PARAMEDICS
SA Ambulance Service has asked on-road staff to remove facial hair to ensure their masks fit securely when treating patients suspected of having COVID-19. Acting Ops Manager for Patient Safety and Quality, Damien Norsworthy, led the way to the barbershop.#covid19australia pic.twitter.com/DUgIs69Emf
— SA Ambulance Service (@SA_Ambulance) March 26, 2020
HOSPITALS BRACING FOR MORE ICU CASES
Hospitals are bracing for more intensive care COVID-19 patients as two men fought for their lives last night – and non-urgent elective surgeries were cancelled to free up beds.
The seriously ill men, aged 76 and 68, remain in stable conditions in the Royal Adelaide Hospital as authorities revealed SA’s first community transmission.
With all non-urgent elective surgeries cancelled from midnight tonight, SA Health warned of an influx of intensive care patients as it ferociously battles to contain the disease’s spread.
An Adelaide woman, aged in her 50s, and another unidentified person are being cared for at undisclosed locations – and authorities fear more untraceable cases.
While the first woman had contact with recent overseas visitors, investigators have failed to identify the source of infection.
New cases involve a UniSA student, who attended the Magill campus on March 16, 17 and 19 while infectious.
Two workers from the Lyndoch Hill winery, 66km north east of Adelaide, are ill. The winery is at the centre of a “small cluster” of three cases.
Anyone who attended the winery from Saturday last week is urged to quarantine and seek testing.
SA Health is investigating if it is linked to a group of US 18 tourists, the majority of whom are virus-stricken.
Upper House MP Tammy Franks last night told The Advertiser she was unwell, “symptomatic”, and in isolation but had yet to be tested.
As the National Cabinet introduced new measures, SA’s chief public health officer Dr Nicola Spurrier warned of an escalation in the number of patients contracting a disease with potentially fatal consequences.
“This is a really important reminder to people,” she said.
“I am appealing to people … to do the right thing because unfortunately we will be seeing more intensive care admissions,” she said at an announcement of the creation of a new hotel for medical staff.
The Federal Government last night expanded the testing criteria to include anyone with symptoms working or living in high-risk areas. SA Pathology has now tested more than 20,000 people.
People who have two or more symptoms of COVID-19, such as a fever at or above 38C, a cough, shortness of breath or sore throat and are in specific settings will be tested despite not having been overseas or had contact with a known case.
SA HEALTH PLANNING FOR ‘WORST CASE SCENARIO’
Planning for a “worst case” scenario is well under way at SA Health, where the onset of COVID-19 has spurred a doubling of ICU capacity in recent weeks.
The state’s deputy chief public health officer, senior intensive care consultant Dr Evan Everest, says “COVID-19 will certainly put pressure on our ICU capacity, as we’ve seen around the world”.
“South Australia is well placed in terms of ICU beds and ventilators, but the key challenge is to expand and upskill our workforce in the delivery of ICU-level care,” he said.
“Across the system, we currently have 325 ICU beds and 384 ventilators to be used for the critical care of our patients.”
That’s up from the baseline of 188 ICU beds in SA, as recorded in the latest Report of the Australian and New Zealand Intensive Care Society (2018).
The number of ICU beds is the critical limiting factor that determines how many people can be treated for severe COVID-19 symptoms.
About 5 per cent of cases develop pneumonia so severe they need an artificial respirator, known as a ventilator, to push air into their lungs and oxygen into their bloodstream until the lungs clear.
When all of these beds are full, there are knock-on effects for the rest of the health system.
Additional ventilators are on order, if required, although there is intense global competition for these scarce resources.
Across the country, 17 Australians are in intensive care, including a people in their 40s and 50s, deputy chief medical officer Paul Kelly said.
-Clare Peddie
Originally published as Coronavirus in SA: 38 more cases diagnosed and second stimulus package unveiled as Easter school holidays extended
Battle to save animals on the brink at Outback reserve
Conservationists are battling to save animals at an Outback reserve from the effects of the worst drought in recent memory, and have received a funding boost to redouble their efforts.
Country tradie to face court over incomplete work
A country tradesman will face the Elizabeth Magistrates Court over allegations he was not licenced and refused to refund money to clients.