‘No single conclusive cause’: Report into Covid-19 transmission at SA medi-hotel finds ‘likely’ explanation

Health authorities in South Australia say they’ve failed to determine exactly how a man caught Covid-19 while in quarantine, but have outlined a worrying “likely” cause.

South Australian health authorities have claimed there was “no single conclusive cause” that led to a Victorian man contracting Covid-19 while isolating in one of it medi-hotels.

SA Health’s Communicable Disease Control Branch released its Potential Intra-Medi-hotel Transmission report on Wednesday afternoon which stated there were no high-risk events or breaches in prevention or control practises that could have led to the spread.

Instead, it found airborne transmission was the “likely” cause because of the timing of doors opening and closing between adjacent rooms.

“A review of the timing and placement of food/goods/waste/linen outside of guest’s rooms is likely to reduce the risk of further episodes of similar transmission events,” the report read.

“In addition, careful management and placement of guests at higher risk of developing COVID-19 (eg: close contacts) will also likely assist.”

The Victorian man isolated at the Playford Hotel in Adelaide’s CBD where he contracted the virus. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

The review found the most plausible time for the leak was on May 3 when the hotel room doors opened on two occasions, both within 30 minutes of each other, as the Melbourne man and infected person collected food that had been delivered.

On one occasion, the doors of the infected traveller and the Melbourne man were opened just 18 seconds apart.

SA chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier explained the “very infectious” virus produced aerosols and because the two hotel rooms were at the end of the corridor, there may have been less change of air that carried the tiny particles.

“Even though it (30 minutes) seems like a relatively long time, it is possible that you could still have aerosols and opening the door could have brought that (non-infected) person in contact,” she said.

The report also suggested that the Victorian resident could have had “a very long” incubation period.

Professor Nicola Spurrier said the review was “absolutely critical” as it could have found ways to further tighten measures around hotel quarantine. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe

Professor Spurrier said the investigation was “absolutely critical” because it had the potential to identify areas of improvement that better protected the community from further leaks.

“The most important (recommendation) for me was looking at how we provide food and other things that guests need during their stay.

“(As well as) trying to reduce the number of door openings and staggering them so we have a longer period of time between doors being opened.”

She said that had already begun being put into practice and was also looking at further separating areas within medi-hotels for guests who were considered to have a higher risk of infection, like travellers coming from India or close contacts of other cases, compared to those who were returning from countries with lower case numbers.

All six recommendations will be actioned by SA Health that will now ask all previous guests to be tested on day 17, regardless if they have symptoms or not.

That will be followed up with a reminder text message on day 21 to be retested if symptoms develop and a pathology form and discharge letter will also be provided.

Under the current arrangement, a reminder text is sent on day 17.

Premier Steven Marshall, who accepted the findings, said it highlighted the importance to be vaccinated when eligible to do so.

The review found the Victorian man ‘likely’ contracted the virus because of the timing of doors opening and closing between adjacent rooms. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

The Melbourne man isolated at the Playford Hotel in Adelaide's CBD after returning from India on April 19.

But, four days after leaving SA and returning home to Melbourne on May 4, he developed Covid-19 symptoms and tested positive to the virus.

Genomic testing later showed that it matched another infected man who was a guest in the same hotel in the adjacent room.

All of the 162 Playford guests and 104 staff members were also tested and returned negative results.

His infection has led to other locally acquired cases in the community, forcing Victoria Health to implement restrictions in the Greater Melbourne area.

Other jurisdictions have responded by putting hotspot restrictions in place and restricting travel.

Mr Marshall announced earlier today that the state was slamming its border shut to Greater Melbourne as of 6pm tonight.