South Australian premier isolating after daughter tests positive to COVID-19

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall says he has no COVID-19 symptoms but will isolate for seven days after his daughter tested positive.

Premier of South Australia Steven Marshall indicated travellers from NSW, Victoria and the ACT could soon find themselves locked out of SA,

SA premier Steven Marshall. Source: AAP

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall is in isolation after his daughter tested positive for COVID-19.

Mr Marshall said he dined with her on Thursday night and is a close contact.

"I have gone straight to get a PCR test at one of our many testing sites and will undertake my seven-day isolation period, as so many South Australians are also doing," Mr Marshall said in a statement on Saturday.

"I have no symptoms and am feeling well. I will continue to chair the daily COVID Ready Committee meetings and continue to lead our pandemic response."

Mr Marshall said he learned about his daughter's positive result on Saturday.
Earlier the state reported 4274 new COVID-19 cases and five deaths, a 13 per cent rise on on the previous day and amid a 20 per cent rise in testing.

Hospitalisations rose to 164, with 16 of those in intensive care.

About 80 per cent of ICU patients were unvaccinated, despite the unvaccinated making up only 7.3 per cent of the population.

Two more health workers tested positive.

Some 608 health workers are either positive or in isolation due to being a close contact, from a workforce of 53,000.
"That number is steadily increasing and something we're very concerned about," Mr Marshall told reporters earlier on Saturday.

The five deaths included a person aged in their 50s and another in their 60s.

Three cases were uncovered in remote Indigenous communities, including a person who had relocated from Adelaide.

But Mr Marshall said it was pleasing that 270 community members in Amata, in the APY Lands, had tested negative after two cases were reported there earlier. Another 30 results are expected soon.

Mr Marshall confirmed aged care and disability workers will join healthcare workers in needing a third vaccine dose to be considered fully vaccinated.

That mandate will apply from January 30.

He warned the government was considering applying the third-dose mandate to other workforces, including childcare.


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2 min read
Published 8 January 2022 8:55pm
Source: AAP, SBS


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