Coronavirus: Virus tests urged in Adelaide as man breaks quarantine

Authorities in Adelaide are urging people to get tested after a COVID-positive man went shopping last Sunday when he should have been quarantining.

South Australia chief health officet Nicola Spurrier has urged shoppers who visited Kmart at Kurralta Park between 2.45pm and 3pm to urgently get a COVID-19 test.

A COVID-positive man in Adelaide went shopping last Sunday when he should have been quarantining, leaving authorities scrambling to advise others in the city to urgently take a coronavirus test.

South Australia’s chief health officer Nicola Spurrier said the actions had created “significant risk” to the public, calling on people who had visited several locations on the same day to take a COVID-19 test even if they had no symptoms.

“Unfortunately they did not spend the whole time in quarantine, and at one time were out and about on one particular day,” Professor Spurrier said.

Anyone at Big W Brickworks between 12.15pm and 12.50pm last Sunday, November 22, or Foodland at Norwood between 1.20pm and 2pm, and Kmart at Kurralta Park between 2.45pm and 3pm should urgently get a COVID-19 test, she said.

The man in his 30s is understood to have contracted COVID-19 as a casual contact at the Intensive English Language Institute at Flinders University, and anyone who has been at the university’s Sturt Campus between November 13 and Saturday is also being encouraged to be tested.

“Those four locations we are considering at high risk — and we want anyone who’s been there at those times and dates to get tested,” Professor Spurrier said.

She said the man had also attended On the Run at Hilton, Anaconda at Mile End, Guzman y Gomez at Glandore and Boost Juice at Glenelg on that Sunday but for a shorter time period, so those who were also there had a lower risk of contracting the virus and should only be tested if they have symptoms. Testing clinics will open on Monday afternoon at Big W Brickworks and Kmart Kurralta Park.

Professor Spurrier said the new development had been “distressing and disappointing”.

“It has, quite frankly, posed a very significant risk for us in South Australia.

“We had enjoyed more or less eliminating this virus for several months,” she said.

Professor Spurrier said there had been no new cases resulting from the recent Parafield outbreak, and planned further easing of restrictions in South Australia on Tuesday would proceed.

“Private functions of 150 people, and that might include weddings … are able to proceed,” she said.