SA cancels Broken Hill cross-border bubble after coronavirus detected in sewage

South Australia has revoked the cross-border travel arrangement with the Broken Hill local government area.

It follows the detection of coronavirus traces in the outback city’s sewage and comes as regional New South Wales prepares to enter lockdown this afternoon.

SA Police said only essential travellers and those escaping domestic violence are now allowed in.

They will have to self-quarantine for 14 days.

NSW Health’s ongoing surveillance program found traces of coronavirus at Broken Hill’s sewage treatment plant, a development described by SA Treasurer Rob Lucas as “particularly concerning to public health officers”.

Travel has been all but stopped between the rest of NSW and SA for several weeks amid the deepening COVID-19 crisis in the eastern state.

In a statement posted on its website, SA Police said the travel ban had come into effect at 12:16pm on Saturday.

“Travellers [in the] New South Wales cross-border corridor are prohibited from entering South Australia with the exception of essential travellers, and people escaping domestic violence,” police said.

They will be required to wear face masks when coming into contact with any member of the public and get tested on days one, five and 13 of their quarantine.

Police said a system of supervised home quarantine was being “introduced for travellers who have been granted an exemption by an authorised officer in SA Health” to travel to South Australia, and who “must complete supervised quarantine at a place other than a medi-hotel or quarantine facility”.

They will be subject to similar requirements as essential travellers, but also “must display a sign at the entrance of the place to warn visitors that it is a place of quarantine”.

A border closure with Broken Hill last year caused upheaval for residents who rely on SA for medical appointments, schooling and other necessities.

NSW today recorded another 466 COVID-19 cases and four COVID-related deaths.

Investigation into medi-hotel breach

South Australia’s enhanced restrictions follow recent quarantine and travel breaches in the state.

In one incident, a man allegedly attended an Adelaide police station on Thursday and said he had been in NSW in the past 14 days but had not been in quarantine.

The 21-year-old has been charged with two counts of breaching the Emergency Management Act.

Later that night, a man undertaking quarantine escaped an Adelaide medi-hotel, in what SA Police said was the first such breach in the state since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Police said the international traveller was out of his hotel room for eight hours, until 6:00am on Friday, and that he “deliberately breached hotel security” before returning voluntarily.

Labor MP Tom Koutsantonis said the breach had strengthened the argument for a “dedicated quarantine facility”.

“The cost to the economy of another lockdown is devastating. People who are in hospitality, who are in pubs, who have got small businesses, are on edge.”

The Treasurer said SA Police Commissioner Grant Stevens had instigated an investigation into how the incident had occurred and what could be done “to prevent it in the future”.

“I think everybody would be concerned,” Mr Lucas said.

“We would all share the views as to how did this occur, and what needs to be done to ensure it doesn’t re-occur.”

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