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There are now 102 patients who have contracted the virus being treated in hospital, 12 of whom are in the ICU and one who requires ventilation.
More than 13,000 active cases remain across the state.
South Australia Premier Steven Marshall said the number of COVID-19 cases in the state’s prisons have increased.
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“Yesterday I provided an update with regards to the prison population and we were up at 90,” he said.
“That’s further increased today up to 128.”
Mr Marshall said all the staff who have contacted the virus within the prison system are “doing well”.
“We are not aware of people that have been transferred out to hospital apart from the one very early in the day who was from the Adelaide Women’s Prison,” Mr Marshall added.
It comes as a pathology lab which lost around 100 COVID-19 test swabs as well as a number of blood samples from the Mount Gambier region has confirmed that they have now been found.
The tests will be processes as soon as possible, with some residents having been waiting for results since December 28, last year.
Mr Marshall said four private testing clinics will be closing, however the state’s testing capacity will “make up that volume”.
“If there is any pathology service in Australia which is capable of picking up the slack it is SA Pathology,” he said.
“We certainly have the highest testing rate per capita in the country.”
Mr Marshall added the state has the “shortest turn around” for testing in the country.
Changes to close contact definition
Yesterday, Mr Marshall announced that new changes being made to the definition of a close contact were to come into effect overnight.
Maskless residents who have had close indoor contact for at least 15 minutes with a COVID-19 positive case will now be legally required to quarantine.
“If you are face-to-face without masks indoors, then you will be designated a close contact if you have been there for more than 15 minutes,” he said.
The rule doesn’t apply for example “if you’re in a restaurant and the waiter is wearing a mask” – they wouldn’t be designated a close contact, Mr Marshall said.
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“But if you’re out with somebody who is COVID positive face-to-face without a mask indoors for more than 15 minutes, it’s very likely that you are also COVID positive.”
The state’s prison systems have also been flagged as potential super spreader venues with more than 90 inmates having tested positive by yesterday.
Source: 9News
