SA Health confirmed the deaths include three women in their 80s, a woman in her 90s, a man in his 70s, a man in his 80s, and a man in his 90s.

Premier Steven Marshall told reporters this afternoon that the state recorded a further 1639 positive cases, of which 1285 were recorded via a PCR test.

There are 206 COVID-positive people in hospital, including 16 in ICU and five on ventilators.

Marshall said a gradual reduction in hospitalisation numbers gave him confidence to ease a host of restrictions from one minute past midnight on Friday.

“Our hospital capacity is there, there are fewer people taking up hospital beds and that’s given us capacity to bring those restrictions down,” he said.

As of one minute past midnight, home gathering limits will lift from 10 up to 50.

Density limits for fitness facilities can increase from one per seven square metres up to one per four square metres.

Density limits will also lift for hospitality in outdoor settings.

“That will increase from one per two square metres up to three per four square metres and allow stand up consumption in that outdoor setting,” Marshall said.

As of Monday next week, the state government is recommending 50 per cent of people go back to work rather than work from home, up from 25 per cent.

Marshall said that he strongly recommended that people wear masks indoors in workplace settings.

Further easing of restrictions will be considered in coming weeks, including easing rules on dancing and singing.

Asked by reporters about data indicating South Australia could have the highest death rate in the country per number of cases, Marshall said he hadn’t seen the data.

“What I do know is that our hospitalisation rate, our death rate remain very low certainly per capita in this state,” he said.

“Obviously in some states that have had waves go through previously which have had high death rates some time ago, they have fewer vulnerable people in those categories now than in places like South Australia and West Australia, that could potentially be the case.”

The restriction changes were confirmed at a COVID Response Committee meeting on Thursday morning.

“I’ve said from day one I don’t want to have these restrictions in place for one day more than we needed to,” Marshall said.

“We had three meetings this week and made the decision this morning, I didn’t think there was any reason to delay the easing of restrictions.”