Some South Australian hotel guests are being forced to extend their quarantine period beyond 14 days, as the cluster in Adelaide grew by one case overnight.
Guests staying at Adelaide’s Peppers Hotel received a letter under their door from state government officials being told they would be transferred to a new location over the next 24 hours.
“We understand that there are guests whose quarantine period is due to end, however to ensure your safety and to minimise the Public Health risk, this time will be extended, which may be up to 14 days,” the letter said.
“We sincerely apologise for any distress or inconvenience this may cause.”
SA Health confirmed the move in a statement to SBS News.
“Following a risk assessment of the Peppers Hotel, the Communicable Disease Control Branch has determined the quarantine period of all guests in the hotel needs to be extended by up to 14 days,” it said.
“We understand the frustration of the guests and we thank them for their assistance as we take every required step to prioritise the health and safety of all South Australians.
“We phoned guests before providing written information to them about the move, and additional information will be provided once more details are confirmed.
“The facility will be thoroughly deep cleaned to continue as a medi-hotel in the future.”
Guests will not incur additional fees for their extended quarantine.
Huge testing queues and panic-buying over Adelaide cluster
South Australians have turned out in big numbers to be tested for coronavirus amid fears of a second wave of infections.
Shelves have been stripped bare at some supermarkets in Adelaide, while residents are waiting several hours to get tested.
Pictures shared on social media show aisles stripped of essential items, including toilet paper, in suburbs including Golden Grove, Glenelg and Dernancourt.
In a statement, Coles said it was implementing purchase limits on toilet paper in South Australia, in response to the panic buying.
With thousands of people coming forward to be tested, there are reportedly wait times of up to 11 hours, with people sitting in their cars at drive-through centres since 4am on Tuesday morning.
SA Health said wait times “vary across different sites”.
“We are dealing with record numbers of people seeking testing and we’re working hard to extend operating hours and capacity at our COVID testing sites.”
South Australia records one new confirmed case
Premier Steven Marshall announced just one new case linked to the Adelaide cluster overnight, taking the number of confirmed infections to 18.
The premier said it was a good result, praising the state’s contact tracing teams and the public for coming forward to get tested.
“If we reflect on the last 24 hours, today there’s just been the one new infection despite the fact that we have essentially done the contact tracing for the people that are infected,” Mr Marshall told ABC Radio Adelaide on Tuesday morning.
“We’ve put … hundreds and hundreds of people in isolation, subjected them to a test, and at this stage, just one new infection.”
WA premier Mark McGowan praised Mr Marshall for his decision to reimpose restrictions, while criticising the federal government’s treatment of the Victorian government as “appalling” during its own coronavirus crisis.
“The fact that they undermined, criticised, attacked the whole way along during a period of extreme pressure was appalling,” Mr McGowan told reporters. “Steven Marshall has done the right thing and I support him in what he is doing. I would urge everyone to support him in what he is doing.”
Tuesday’s new case was from an aged care home in Brompton, which is managed by Anglicare South Australia.
In a media release put out on Tuesday, the facility noted one further employee had tested positive to the virus.
The facility initially said two employees had tested positive on Tuesday, but later clarified one additional case was not confirmed.
“Test results for another employee are being reviewed following a potential false-positive result. Contact tracing for these two employees is underway,” the centre said in a statement.
“All residents have been tested and all have returned negative test results. They will be retested at 72 hours and day 12.”
A total of five schools have been closed for deep cleaning, including Mawson Lakes School and Preschool and Thomas More College yesterday, and Mt Carmel College, Holy Family Catholic School and Roma Mitchell Secondary College today.
Australia’s deputy chief medical officer Michael Kidd said the next 24 to 48 hours would be critical.
“Health authorities in South Australia are doing a terrific job, identifying people who may have been in contact with someone who’s been diagnosed with COVID-19, arranging to get people tested, arranging for people to go into isolation while they’re waiting for their results,” he told the ABC on Tuesday.
“And a big thank you to everybody in Adelaide who were queuing up to get tested yesterday, and I’m sure there will be queues today for people waiting to get tested for COVID-19.”
Chief public health officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said there over 3000 people have been tested in the past 24 hours.
“It’s early days in this cluster but what we can say is we think this is an early pickup,” she said on Tuesday morning.
She also said the test results revealed there had not been widespread community transmission.
“What I want people to do is continue to get tested if they wake up with a sore throat or runny nose.”
“What we want people to do is monitor for symptoms…. even if it’s just a sniffle don’t think ‘Oh it’s just hayfever’ go and get tested.
At midnight on Tuesday, South Australia imposed a series of social distancing restrictions.
These are the restrictions currently in place:
- Gyms, recreation centres and play cafes will be closed
- Community sports fixtures and training will be temporarily cancelled, both indoors and outdoors. Bootcamps can continue
- Funerals will now be capped at 50 people, with one person per four square metres
- Churches will be capped at 100 people, with one person per four square metres
- Pubs, clubs and restaurants will be capped at 100 per venue with one per four square metres
- Private gatherings at licensed venues will be capped at 50 people per venue
- Private residences will be capped at 10 people per home
- There will be no changes to the numbers of people permitted at weddings, but all guests must now be registered in advance
- Schools will remain open
Dr Spurrier said the coming days would determine the length of the restrictions.
“If there’s been significant spread it will have to go on for longer.”
The cluster could derail national plans to open state borders before Christmas.
All states except Western Australia have committed to easing restrictions by 25 December.
But Queensland, the Northern Territory, Tasmania and WA have now slammed the gates shut on South Australia.
SBS News has contacted SA Health for comment.
Additional reporting by AAP.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction’s restrictions on gathering limits.
If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. News and information is available in 63 languages at https://sbs.com.au/coronavirus
Please check the relevant guidelines for your state or territory: NSW,Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, ACT, Tasmania.
