High alert as Modbury cluster doubles in size, new directions for singles

New Covid directions have come in that allow single people to visit a friend or partner, and new exposure sites have been added overnight, after SA recorded six new coronavirus cases on Wednesday.

• This coronavirus article is unlocked and free to read in the interest of community health and safety. Click here for full digital access to trusted news from The Advertiser for just $1 a week for the first 12 weeks.

South Australia’s Covid-19 outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant has more than doubled to 12 cases, after two “superspreader” events at a popular winery and a city restaurant.

THIS BLOG IS NO LONGER BEING UPDATED. PLEASE FIND OUR LIVE COVERAGE OF LOCKDOWN DAY 2 HERE.

In a surprise statement late Wednesday - the first full day of the state’s third lockdown - authorities revealed six new cases, including a child, linked to the Modbury cluster.

Another infectious patient had been earlier connected to the cluster, which  grew from five cases.

Ovenight, new legal directions came in that allow single people to visit a friend or partner, and new exposure sites have been added to the list.

The legal direction permits single people older than 16 to visit a friend or partner if they are home alone.

SA authorities will give an update on any more positive cases at 11am. But Premier Steven Marshall told Adelaide radio stations on Thursday morning there was "no serious escalation" from the briefing on Thursday morning.

"There are a couple of cases that they're looking at and (chief public health officer) Nicola Spurrier will present those if they're required later this morning," he said.

The new exposure sites are in Elizabeth, Fairview Park, Holden Hill, Seacliff, Surrey Downs, Evanston, Greenwith, Modbury and Gawler.

Warning more cases were likely in coming days, chief public health officer, Professor Nicola Spurrier, said Wednesday's spike was fuelled by two weekend “superspreader” events at Tenafeate Creek Wines, in the Adelaide Hills, and the Greek on Halifax in the CBD.

The Advertiser understands the daughter of the man at the heart of the cluster is linked to the winery site.

EVERY SA EXPOSURE SITE AND WHERE TO GET TESTED

The new crisis emerged as the army was drafted in to help fix chaos at testing clinics, while more than 11,000 people were ordered into quarantine.

The state government also announced a $100m business lifeline, and Police Commissioner Grant Stevens revealed an expansion of the electronic contact tracing QR codes to public transport, including buses, taxis and ride share cars.

A new “priority risk” Covid testing site was launched at Lot 14 in the city’s East End for those in quarantine, who visited exposure locations.

Opening hours were extended at other clinics to cope with the overwhelming demand.

In a rare second public statement late Wednesday with Mr Marshall, Prof Spurrier revealed grave concerns at five cases linked to Tenafeate Creek Wines, at Yattalunga, near One Tree Hill.

The patients, three women aged from their 50s to 80s, and two men in their 50s and 40s, visited on Sunday between 1.45pm and 4.30pm.

Contact tracers were last night urgently recreating their travel and  establishing any connections as they scrambled to track an unknown number of at-risk winery guests - who must now isolate - through interviews, QR codes, credit card statements and CCTV.

SA Health’s Communicable Disease Control Branch is also investigating how they contracted coronavirus.

The cluster’s source is believed to be an elderly man, 81, who is ill with the Delta variant, linked to the NSW outbreak.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW: LOCKDOWN, WHAT’S AN ESSENTIAL WORKER, QR CODES, WHAT’S OPEN AND WHAT’S NOT

He travelled to SA from Argentina with his daughter, aged in her 50s, before both visited Modbury Hospital on Sunday.

A close male relative, in his 50s, is also ill.

The daughter attended the winery.

SA Health on Wednesday night issued urgent alerts for multiple new exposure sites the infectious winery guests visited on Monday, including the Gawler and District College, at Evanston, where the man in his 40s worked.

Prof Spurrier also revealed a sick child, aged younger than five, had been identified from the Greek on Halifax hotspot.

“It is very serious,” she said.

“I am concerned.  I’m also very pleased we were able to put a lockdown in place so quickly. I think people… do need to prepare themselves for more cases, that’s certainly my expectation. But the important thing is if we can make sure that everybody is in quarantine.”

Detailing the day’s seventh case hours earlier, Prof Spurrier said a woman had worked at the restaurant on Saturday night between exposure times of 6pm and 10pm. 

The woman, in her early 20s, went to work at Westminster College, where she is a boarding house counsellor on Monday, forcing it to shut. She visited Burnside Village shopping centre on Sunday.

All ill patients were last night stable in the CBD’s Tom’s Court Covid facility.

The elderly man is also stable in the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s specialist Covid ward.

More than 11,000 people are in strict fortnight quarantine because they visited at least 58 exposure sites including shopping centres, supermarkets, retail, cafes and other locations across swathes of Adelaide.

They include a Thebarton barracks   police officer and dozens of SA Health staff. Under SA’s third lockdown, the last of which was November’s Parafield cluster, people can only leave home for five key reasons: essential work; to buy supplies; medical care, including vaccinations; exercise, and; “care and compassion”.

New legal directions last night permitted single people older than 16 to visit a friend or partner if they are home alone. Prof Spurrier warned people to stay home unless necessary.

“You just know if you have come into contact with somebody (sick),” she said.

“This virus can only move when we move as people. As I said to my husband... you can tidy up your sock drawer.”

On Wednesday, patients faced up to 12 hours waits at Covid testing clinics while some were turned away before tests, which hit 12,899 on Monday.

At least 30 Australian Defence Force troops, along with hospital nurses,  will help with tests. A live wait-times system is being explored. Mr Stevens said seven suburban police stations will close so officers can assist lockdown duties.

A Strathalbyn woman, 56, will face court for refusing to wear a mask at a Hills supermarket, in Littlehampton.

Originally published as High alert as Modbury cluster doubles in size, new directions for singles

Updates