Two more cases have been added to South Australia’s concerning coronavirus cluster with a couple infected while in hotel quarantine in Adelaide, prompting an investigation into how the virus was transmitted.
The cases were found in a husband and wife who recently returned to Australia and were thought to have contracted COVID-19 while overseas.
Their infections were revealed on Sunday and Tuesday.
But Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said further genetic testing had revealed the pair became infected while in isolation in the Peppers Hotel, the initial source of Adelaide’s Parafield cluster.
Their cases take the size of the cluster to 29 but leave the total number of coronavirus cases diagnosed in SA at 557.
It has also prompted SA Health to review CCTV footage and conduct other inquiries to determine how the couple came in contact with the virus, amid growing concerns for the security of the hotel quarantine system.
As a precaution, all staff at the hotel will also be tested again.
“We think that this is just being abundantly cautious. We don’t expect to have any more positives,” Professor Spurrier said.
“But what we do need to be absolutely sure about is that we’re not missing any further infection in that hotel system.”
Prof Spurrier said details of what happened at the hotel would be provided once the review was complete.
Health Minister Stephen Wade said the government would wait and see what the review found, and what a police investigation into the cluster uncovered, before considering a wider independent investigation of the hotel quarantine arrangements.
Earlier on Tuesday, authorities expressed continued optimism that the Parafield cluster had been contained and that SA remained on track to next week ease the restrictions the outbreak sparked.
SA’s transition committee will meet on Friday in what looms as a crucial gathering for local businesses and for families in the lead-up to Christmas.
If all goes well, SA will also lift its border restrictions with Victoria from December 1.
“We’re not out of the woods yet but as I said yesterday, I’m confident that we have got rid of this again in our state,” Prof Spurrier said.
“I haven’t popped the cork on the champagne bottle yet, but the champagne is on ice.”
Premier Steven Marshall said South Australia was continuing to “rise to the challenge” of the latest coronavirus scare.
“I believe that we are now in a very good position to stare down this second wave,” he said.
The premier said the state government wanted to get people back to work and businesses “booming” ahead of the festive season.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction’s restrictions on gathering limits.
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