South Australia has recorded 11 COVID-related deaths with the Premier warning case numbers could rise after a new subvariant was detected in the state.
Key points:
- SA has recorded 2,270 new COVID cases and 11 COVID-related deaths
- A new subvariant, which has been detected interstate, has now been reported in SA
- No further changes will be made to SA’s COVID rules
Premier Peter Malinauskas confirmed the BA.5 subvariant has been identified in the state after being found in New South Wales and Victoria.
“Case numbers may go up between the next six to eight weeks pending how the new BA.5 variant rolls through South Australia,” he said.
“The information presented to us this morning indicated that in New South Wales, the BA.5 variant numbers have gone up dramatically.
“It isn’t any more dangerous than previous iterations, but it may result in case numbers going up.
“That’s a function of increased transmissibility but also do to with issues around immune escape which are still to be determined and the science is currently evolving on.”
He said SA Health was monitoring the situation and would release further modelling.
A woman in her 40s is among the 11 new deaths, and 2,270 new cases have been reported today.
The deaths occurred between February 26 and Sunday but were only announced by SA Health today.
The state’s Emergency Management Council met this morning to discuss easing quarantine requirements for COVID-positive people, but no further changes were made to restrictions.
Vaccine mandate requirements for allied health workers were also considered but remain unchanged.
The latest restriction to ease was the requirement to wear masks at Adelaide Airport.
The rule was eliminated on Saturday after the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee said masks were no longer mandatory in airport terminals but were strongly recommended.
Masks are still required on board aircraft.
Space to play or pause, M to mute, left and right arrows to seek, up and down arrows for volume.
Loading form…
Posted , updated
