News

COVID-19 threat remains amid SA outbreak

Fri, 27 Nov 2020 04:28:00

Mallee residents are being urged to remain vigilant about COVID-19, with recent outbreaks in South Australia tipped to pose more danger to local communities than infections in Melbourne.

The highly infectious COVID-19 virus infected nearly 20 people in Adelaide last week, prompting a swift lockdown across South Australia and new travel restrictions between Victoria and South Australia. The lockdown has now been eased, but health authorities in South Australia and Victoria remain on high alert.
“We know this virus moves through the community quickly and we know people had started to travel from Adelaide to the Mallee due to the previously open border arrangements in Victoria, so the outbreak in Adelaide is potentially more dangerous to us than the outbreaks we’ve seen in Melbourne,” Mallee Track Health and Community Services (MTHCS) Chief Executive Officer Lois O’Callaghan said.
“Anyone who has been in metropolitan Adelaide since Saturday 7 November 2020 should get tested for COVID-19 and remain at home until they receive a negative result.
“In addition to this, anyone who has been in South Australia since Saturday 7 November 2020, but didn’t visit metropolitan Adelaide can be tested with or without symptoms. They only need to isolate if they have symptoms.”
Anyone who has been in SA in the last 14 days should check the exposure sites listed on the SA Health website at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au
Ms O’Callaghan said COVID-19 testing remained available at MTHCS campuses in both Ouyen and Sea Lake.
“If you think you may need to be tested, please don’t delay. Phone the medical clinic and make an appointment to get tested today,” she said.
“Even if you just need some advice, get in contact with us. This virus is deadly and we can’t afford to underestimate it.”
Ms O’Callaghan also urged anyone returning from Adelaide to the Mallee for the summer break to be particularly vigilant about COVID-19 safety procedures.
“SA Health has a traffic light system in place that is based on the locations visited or travelled through in South Australia. These locations are categorised as green, orange and red zones – anyone who has visited a place in the red zone is required to be tested and quarantine,” she said.
“The traffic light system is also linked to the new border crossing arrangements in place for people travelling from South Australia to Victoria, so it’s important to stay up to date with what you need to do to get a border crossing permit.”
The 70-kilometre cross border permit arrangements between Victoria and South Australia remain in place. You can display your previous permits or your licence with an address within 70 kms.
For the latest information on traveling between Victoria and South Australia, check the Department of Health and Human Services website at www.dhhs.vic.gov.au
You can also contact the Victorian Coronavirus Hotline on 1800 675 398 (option 2) if you have any questions about travelling between Victoria and South Australia.
To make an appointment to be tested for COVID-19 at a MTHCS medical clinic, phone 5092 1111. Community members are asked to call ahead before arriving to be tested and to be tested early in the day, to ensure swabs can be sent to pathology laboratories for analysis as soon as possible.

Pictured is MTHCS nurse practitioner Jan Winkler preparing to undertake COVID-19 testing.