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South Australia has announced that it will head for a strict six-day lockdown in an attempt to rise to the top of a growing Covid-19 cluster in Adelaide.
South Australian Prime Minister Steven Marshall unveiled the new lockdown measures on Wednesday, saying they faced their “biggest test to date.”
“Timing is of the essence. And we must act quickly and decisively, we can’t wait to see how bad this gets,” he said.
South Australia will be locked in from midnight on Wednesday, November 18. The restrictions will be in effect for six days to allow officials to contact the trail and become aware of the latest outbreak.
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Kelly Barnes / Getty Images
Thousands of people across South Australia searched for Covid-19 evidence after Parafield’s group grew to 20.
People will not be able to leave their homes, and only one person per household will be able to leave each day, but only for specific and essential purposes.
Schools are about to close, with the exception of those for vulnerable children and those for essential workers. Universities, pubs, cafes and take-out places will close with banned weddings and funerals for six days.
Nursing homes have been closed and regional travel is prohibited.
Incoming international flights have been suspended as the state wears its second wave.
As of Tuesday, the state had 36 active cases, ranging from adolescence to age 50. They all have little or no symptoms. Twenty-two cases have been linked to a group from Adelaide, known as the Parafield group.
This is the first evidence of community transmission in the state since April.
South Australia Health identified numerous schools, supermarkets, cafes and hotels, as well as a senior care center and specific public transport routes as places of interest. As a result, five schools have closed.
A warning was also sent to customers who dined, ordered take-out and received a delivery from a pizzeria over a 10-day period.
“[Those customers] you must immediately quarantine yourself for 14 days and seek evidence. This includes the people who live with you, ”health officials said in a statement.
Around 4,000 people have been identified as close contacts and are in self-quarantine. Health officials communicate with them daily.
The state reacted to the new group by seeking evidence. Prime Minister Steven Marshall thanked the thousands who came to the test sites in the past 24 hours. He said Tuesday’s testing rates approached 6,000, a record for the state.
“This is nothing short of sensational,” he said Tuesday according to 9 News.
Despite high test rates, the state remains prepared for an uphill battle. “We’re not out of the woods yet,” Marshall said. “We are in the early stages of dealing with this disgusting group in Parafield.”
David Mariuz / Getty Images
South Australia’s Prime Minister Steven Marshall was pleased with the increased testing, but cautioned that the state is not out of the woods yet.
The South Australian government has reinstated a series of restrictions to stop the spread of the virus.
Hospitality venues must only have 100 people or one person for every four square meters, individual reservations cannot exceed 10, private events, including funerals, are limited to 50 people, and customers cannot stand with an alcoholic beverage .
Masks are mandatory in care services for the elderly when physical distancing is not possible.
The government has advised everyone to wear masks in places where physical distancing is not possible and to avoid unnecessary travel. Those who are considered to be at increased risk for serious illness are told to avoid visits.
South Australia joined the quarantine-free trans-Tasmania travel bubble in October, but incoming international flights to the state have been suspended.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Tuesday that the outbreak further demonstrates her point of the need to be cautious with the bubble of two-way travel without quarantine.
“For me, what is happening in South Australia just further reinforces the importance of having a good understanding of how Australia tries to manage its internal borders when there are outbreaks,” he said.
“Because, of course, if they have an outbreak, but they have instituted strong border controls, then it is manageable. But if they have a tolerance level for community transmission that is higher than ours, then that is problematic. So those follow. being problems that we are working on. “
David Mariuz / Getty Images
People queued outside a testing center in the Adelaide suburb of Parafield.
Several states and territories in Australia have excluded the southern state as a result of the outbreak.
Queensland declared Adelaide an access point at 11:59 p.m. (local time) Monday, requiring all arrivals to undergo 14 days in a self-managed isolation facility. Western Australia closed its borders to all travelers from South Australia. Those who want to fly must meet strict exemption criteria.
Tasmania has labeled the state as medium risk. All arrivals from South Australia must be quarantined.
New South Wales and Victoria have yet to implement restrictions.
