SA borders remain open to NSW despite concerns of Sydney clusters; one new case reported

As NSW recorded 10 new infections and SA recorded one on Friday, South Australians are being encouraged to ‘be flexible’ with their travel as the state’s borders remain open.

South Australia’s borders with NSW will remain open despite concerns surrounding two COVID-19 clusters in Sydney.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said the state’s Transition Committee looked closely at the situation at its meeting on Friday.

He said while there were no changes to directions, people were encouraged to be flexible with their travel.

“The indicators are that they're on top of it,” Commissioner Stevens said.

It comes as the state recorded one new infection on Friday; a man in his 20s who is a returned traveller in hotel quarantine.

The man is not considered infectious and represents an old infection but because it was his first COVID-19 test, his result has been added to the state’s tally, now 473.

A woman in her 40s, who also recently returned from overseas, tested positive although it represents an old infection and she too is not considered infectious.

Her case was recorded overseas and will not go towards SA’s total number.

There currently three active cases in the state.

Chief Public Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens are both on the state’s Transition Committee. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Premier Steven Marshall said he spoke to SA Health’s Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier after the meeting who advised him there would be no change to current border arrangements.

“Some people have been quite concerned about what is going on in NSW,” he said.

“(Professor Spurrier) has been telling me there’s been an excellent flow of data between NSW Health and SA.

“NSW are working hard to identify the epilink of those community transmission (cases) and they're making progress so Nicola Spurrier is quite happy to leave the current arrangements with the NSW border in place … although we’re obviously keeping a very close eye on this.”

Mr Marshall said while NSW seemed to be getting on top of its clusters, SA would continue to monitor the situation.

“It’s really hard to determine what that threshold should be because if you just look at the raw numbers, it doesn't give you enough information. Even looking at the number of community transmission doesn’t give you the full picture. It’s only when you get the detailed information from other jurisdictions that we can form a position whether or not we’d put border restrictions in place.

“We know some days we get reports of a new infection then a few days later it was a false positive or we establish the epilink.”

Premier Steven Marshall addressing the media. Photo by NCA NewsWire / Kelly Barnes

Professor Nicola Spurrier said health advice was provided to the State Coordinator — who is also the Commissioner — at any time.

“I have sought detailed information about the recent New South Wales cases from NSW Health and will be closely monitoring the situation over coming days,” she said.

NSW reported 10 new cases on Friday; with five being from hotel quarantine and the other five locally acquired which were all linked to a known case or cluster.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said four of the new locally acquired cases were associated with the private health clinic cluster; three being household contacts of a known infection and the fourth was a co-worker of another reported case.

NSW Health authorities revealed on Thursday an asymptomatic woman who tested positive to coronavirus in NSW hosted a “social event” at her home that led to four other people being infected.

A public health alert was also issued after a positive coronavirus case visited the Monopole Restaurant in Potts Point.

Exterior of Monopole Restaurant in Potts Point. Picture: Christian Gilles

People who travelled on the following public transport is also considered a casual contact and must monitor for symptoms and get tested immediately if they develop:

• Train from Parramatta at 14:41 arriving Town Hall 15:31 on October 4
• Train from Town Hall at 17:29 arriving Kings Cross 17:50 on October 4
• Train from Artarmon at 23:18 arriving Central 23:48 on October 5
• Bus replacement from Central at 23:48 arriving Strathfield 00:15 on October 5
• Train from Strathfield at 00:15 arriving Parramatta 00:45 on October 5
• Bus 550 from Epping Station, Beecroft Rd, Stand D at 17:08 to Smith St after Phillip St, Parramatta 17:41 on October 6
• Train from Moss Vale 04:52 arriving Liverpool 07:09 on October 6
• Train from Liverpool 16:58 arriving Moss Vale 19:12 on October 6
• Train from Moss Vale 04:51 arriving Liverpool 07:08 on October 7
• Train from Campbelltown 13:31 arriving Moss Vale 15:50 on October 7

NSW Health also noted that dropping testing rates were a “concern”, and urged people with even mild symptoms to get tested.