Brendan Simpkins

URGENT contact tracing has been undertaken by SA Health after a positive COVID-19 case was discovered at the Lyell McEwin Hospital (LMH) over the weekend.

The case was part of a wider cluster, believed to have stemmed from a medi-hotel in the Adelaide CBD, across a number of locations around the city.

An 80-year-old woman presented to the LMH on Saturday, November 14 and returned the positive test.

She is currently in hospital in a stable condition.

An additional two family members of the 80-year-old, her daughter and her daughter’s partner, and another close contact also returned positive tests on Sunday.

This represented the first case of community transmission in South Australia since the Thebarton Cluster in August.

On Monday afternoon the original number of four cases linked to the cluster had ballooned to 19, with 13 of the 15 new cases on that day linked to the cluster.

SA Health is conducting urgent contact tracing for visitors to the LMH emergency department between 5.30pm on Friday, November 13 and 4am Saturday, November 14.

People who had come in contact with the woman have been notified by SA Health, however it is recommended that anyone in the area during the timeframe that has not been contacted should also self-isolate immediately.

Chief public health officer Dr Nicola Spurrier said about 90 people, including staff and other patients, were in the emergency department at the same time as the woman.

She said this latest cluster was a “wake-up call” for South Australians to get tested.

The woman also visited Parafield Plaza Supermarket on November 12, between 10.30am and 11.30am.

Visitors to the location between that time period do not need to self-isolate, however, it is recommended that symptoms be monitored.

It is recommended that visitors to an additional 34 locations around Adelaide monitor for symptoms.

This includes the Aquadome and Big W at Elizabeth Shopping Centre on Saturday, November 14 and Harris Scarfe and the Elizabeth Shopping Centre on Sunday, November 8.

Visitors to SA Structural at 54 Kaurna Avenue, Edinburgh, between 7am and 3.30pm on Thursday, November 12 are also listed.

In response a pop-up testing site was established at Lockheed Lane and Butler Avenue at Parafield Airport on Monday.

Queues to get into testing clinics have been colossal as South Australian’s heeded the word of SA Health.

Gawler’s Sam Shetler stood in line at Elizabeth for almost two hours, but was eventually turned away.

He said almost 100 people formed the queue to get into the Aquadome for testing.

“Folks were understandably frustrated,” he said.

“We could obviously see there was at least 70 people in front of us and in the last hour or more everyone pretty much knew that they weren’t going to get in but they just stayed in line anyway.”

Mr Shetler said during his time in line, social distancing practices were in place however he was frustrated at the lack of masks being worn.

Mr Shetler tried again on Tuesday morning to get tested, this time opting through the drive-through clinic at Gould Road, Elizabeth Park.

However, by 9am the line was so big, snaking around blocks, that he opted to return to Gawler.

He said the drive-through clinic would have been ideal for him given he had his children with him at the time.

Five hour wait times have also been reported at Tanunda’s drive-through clinic.

COVID scare at Gawler & District College

GAWLER & District College have been forced to cancel upcoming events due to a close call with the Parafield Cluster.

The school made the announcement on Tuesday morning after the school was advised by SA Health that a member of its community had been in close contact of a confirmed case from the cluster.

The community member returned a negative test result, however, the school has exercised caution and advised other close contacts to self-isolate as a precaution.

As a result, the school’s Awards Night, due to take place on November 27, has been axed for this year, as have planned excursions for the rest of the week.

All staff and students who were a close contact have been notified and told to self-isolate.