In an update issued this afternoon, SA Health said South Australia had recorded 25 new cases, 13 of which are locally acquired infections.

Of the remaining cases, three have been acquired interstate, one was acquired overseas while eight are under investigation to determine their source.

SA Health said five of the new cases are children under the age of 18, 11 are men aged between 24 and 57, while nine are women aged between 20 and 89.

Three of the new cases are unvaccinated, while the vaccination status of a further five cases is unknown, SA Health says.

Marshall told reporters this morning that South Australia had recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases overnight, although this figure was later updated by SA Health.

The premier earlier today said he was not aware if any of today’s new cases included residents or staff at several Adelaide aged care facilities that were visited by two infectious health care workers earlier in the week.

SA Health this afternoon said 22 aged care facilities have been impacted by the two vaccinated health care workers

“Testing and regular monitoring continues at the Residential Aged Care facilities across metropolitan Adelaide associated with positive COVID-19 cases reported on 14 December 2021,” SA Health said in a statement.

“While residents at 22 facilities have been impacted, the exposures were not widespread across the facilities and additional infection control and testing measures have been implemented based on the risk at each site.

“All test results so far have been negative.”

The vaccinated health care workers were among 12 new COVID-19 cases reported on Tuesday.

In a statement this afternoon, UnitingSA said its aged care facilities at West Lakes, Seaton and Grange were visited by a medical practitioner who tested positive for COVID-19.

It said all residents who came into contact with the health care worker had returned negative test results.

“The medical practitioner visited the facilities between 11.30pm on Friday, 10 December 2021 and 1am on Saturday, 11 December 2021 and came into contact with a very limited number of residents and staff,” UnitingSA said.

“As a precautionary measure and in line with SA Health advice, yesterday UnitingSA temporarily closed its West Lakes and Seaton Aged Care facilities to visitors.

“UnitingSA is continuing to work closely with SA Health and are awaiting further directives.

“Double-vaccinated visitors are permitted to visit residents at its Westminster Village facility at Grange.”

House of St Hilarion at Seaton and St Pauls Lutheran Homes at Hahndorf were placed into lockdown overnight after the infectious health care workers visited residents at those aged care facilities.

Society of Saint Hilarion CEO Dr Carol Davey said SA Health informed them about the positive case late Tuesday.

“Saint Hilarion immediately implemented their detailed COVID Pandemic Plan and communicated with Residents and families about these strategies,” Davey said.

“Testing of Residents and staff occurred on the 14th December 2021 and we are currently awaiting results.

“Daily updates are being provided to all stakeholders, additional staff rostered, and extra cleaning shifts scheduled.”

Davey said the COVID-positive worker completed House of St Hilarion’s “strict entry requirements” and was asymptomatic when they entered.

InDaily also contacted St Pauls Lutheran Homes at Hahndorf for comment.

SA Health has refused to reveal which aged care facilities were visited by the infected health care workers, or how many were potentially exposed, with a spokesperson telling InDaily that releasing the information was “not part of the public health response”.

The spokesperson was unable to say why releasing the information was not part of the public health response.

Two UniSA students have also tested COVID-positive, the university confirmed this afternoon.

A university spokesperson said, “UniSA is acting in accordance with SA Health protocols.”

Overseas arrival quarantine drops from 14 days to seven

Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

Meanwhile, Marshall announced “effective immediately” fully-vaccinated international arrivals would only need to quarantine at home or in a medi-hotel for seven days instead of 14.

The State Government imposed a seven-day quarantine period for vaccinated arrivals on November 23, but it increased the requirement to 14 days later that month due to concerns about the Omicron COVID-19 variant.

“We were obviously very concerned in the early days at the World Health Organisation declaration of Omicron as a variant of concern,” Marshall said.

“We put that added protection in place (and) we moved from seven days up to 14 days.

“We (have now) moved that down to seven days (and) I know this is going to be a huge relief for many people who were counting on it being seven days, had booked their overseas tickets to come and see family and loved ones over the Christmas break.”

Marshall said people who travel from overseas and arrive interstate would be allowed to enter South Australia seven days after landing in Australia.

He said those travelling from Victoria, New South Wales or the ACT would need to get tested within 72 hours of travelling to South Australia and again on arrival.

“The written declaration or direction will go into place later today and I know this is going to be a huge relief because we have had a lot of calls from overseas and some from interstate as well saying ‘look, I was counting on seeing my family at Christmas thinking it was seven days’,” he said.

“It’s going to provide huge relief for people about their Christmas plans.”

Marshall said despite relaxing the quarantine requirement, the government was still concerned about the spread of the Omicron variant interstate.

New South Wales today reported 1360 new COVID-19 cases, including 110 linked to the Omicron variant.

“That’s why we’re keeping that requirement for people coming into South Australia to have a test within 72 hours of their time of departure from New South Wales and Victoria and from the ACT,” Marshall said.

Despite the surge in cases in NSW, the eastern state has significantly reduced a number of its restrictions.

From today, QR code check-ins have been scaled back and masks are only required in high-risk settings like public transport and planes.

There is no cap on visitors in homes, hospitality venues, or on numbers at outdoor gatherings.

The South Australian Government is expected to announce this week which restrictions will lift once 90 per cent of the population aged over 12 is fully-vaccinated.

Under South Australia’s “COVID-Ready Plan”, restrictions on “most activities” will ease once the vaccine target is reached, but only fully-vaccinated people will be allowed to participate in “high-risk activities”, such as drinking alcohol while standing or visiting nightclubs.

Adelaide Magistrates Court listed as exposure site

Photo: Tony Lewis/InDaily

The Courts Administration Authority (CAA) has also revealed a COVID-positive staff member was at the Adelaide Magistrates Court on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday last week.

Courtroom one is listed as an exposure site between 9.20am and 12.30pm on Thursday December 9, and court room six is listed as an exposure site between 8.45am and 9am on Friday December 10.

The court’s level one registry, which is only open to staff, is also listed as an exposure site at all times between Wednesday to Friday last week.

The Adelaide Magistrates Court remains open, with SA Health contacting those who are identified as close contacts.

SA Health advice re relevant dates and times of COVID case in Adelaide Magistrates Court. https://t.co/HBSFeE2ctq

— Courts (@CourtsinSA) December 14, 2021

The CAA this morning released its draft COVID-19 vaccination policy, which proposes that all staff would be required to receive the first dose of a vaccine by January 7 and a second dose by February 7.

Members of the public would not be required to be vaccinated to attend court.

The CAA is not revealing how many of its staff are currently vaccinated.

“The Courts are an essential service in our community that have continued to operate throughout the pandemic,” State Courts administrator Penny Croser said.

“It is critical that we protect judiciary and staff and particularly court users, some of whom are the most vulnerable in our community.”

– with AAP