An employee at a National Pharmacies chemist in Adelaide’s west has tested positive for coronavirus.

“National Pharmacies confirms that on Tuesday 31 March an employee at our Findon store tested positive for COVID-19,” a statement from the pharmacy chain reads.

“National Pharmacies is working closely with SA Health to identify anyone who many have had contact with the employee.”

The pharmacy said the staff member contracted the virus outside the store “through a link to the Adelaide Airport cluster of infections”.

“The employee is recovering in isolation at her home,” the statement read.

“A further 15 employees who worked with her are in isolation at the direction of SA Health and are being tested for COVID-19 as appropriate.”

The chemist was forensically sanitised by specialist cleaners on Tuesday night and on Thursday morning SA Health advised customers that was safe to return to the store.

“They have forensically sanitised everything so provided customers maintain social distancing, it’s fine,” a spokeswoman said.

“It’s like the schools that have to shut down for a day for a clean.”

media_camera A customer named Yelta outside the National Pharmacies at Findon Shopping Centre, where a staff member tested positive to coronavirus. Picture: Mark Brake

She added that contact with a known case was defined as 15 minutes face-to-face, which was unlikely in this scenario, however if any customers did develop symptoms they should contact their local GP.

Five more Qantas baggage handlers and two of their family members are among 30 new cases of COVID-19 in SA, bringing the total to 367 – and 13 cases linked to Adelaide Airport.

It is not clear if the pharmacy case is in addition to the 13 cases.

SA Health’s contact tracing team is trying to trace anyone who came into contact with her.

On Wednesday, SA Health said anyone who visited Adelaide Airport over the past fortnight and had fallen ill must immediately self-quarantine and seek urgent coronavirus testing, after the Qantas COVID-19 cluster more than doubled.

SA Health reported a fresh surge of virus cases on Wednesday as the airline baggage-handler cluster spiked from six to 13 patients, including two relatives, while 107 people were in isolation.

But Premier Steven Marshall ruled out any imminent airport closure.

As authorities tried to track its source and SA Health’s tracing team was boosted, the Premier told The Advertiser: “Our position is just to follow the health advice on this, and at this stage there is no plan whatsoever to close down the airport.

“But we always say if there is advice to take action, then I will do that the minute we receive it.”

The first baggage handler tested positive last Friday, eight days after falling ill, before Qantas management were told on Saturday.

media_camera Qantas staff at Adelaide Airport, after six Qantas baggage handlers tested positive for COVID-19. Picture: Matt Loxton

30 NEW CASES ON WEDNESDAY

SA deputy chief medical officer Dr Mike Cusack revealed 30 new cases across the state on Wednesday, aged from their teens to 70s, bringing the total number patients to 367. He announced a widening of testing but said there was no immediate airport closure advice.

Dr Cusack said a teenager, 17, tested positive but no link to a school had been identified yet.

There are six men in the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s intensive care unit. Five males, aged between 52 and 77, were fighting for life in a critical condition.

“Anyone who is sick with symptoms of coronavirus who has been in the airport, including in the terminal or the carpark, in the last 14 days should make sure they get themselves tested and should self-quarantine in advance of that,” Dr Cusack said.

“Having (done) that cleaning and isolating that cluster, we feel confident the airport is able to continue operation.”

He said travellers should clean luggage as the virus could survive on hard, smooth materials, such as plastic and metal.

His appeal came after the Transport Workers’ Union, which represents some handlers, accused airline and airport bosses of “negligence” after whistleblowers raised concerns about “lax controls”.

SA branch secretary Ian Smith, whose union wrote to both organisations and called in the state’s safety watchdog, SafeWork SA, claimed the disease spread came from poor protections.

“This is very serious as it means Qantas allowed its workers and workers in other companies to become exposed through its own negligence,” he said.

Rejecting the claims, a Qantas spokesman said urgent contact tracing was completed.

“We have put enhanced safety measures in place to protect our employees and customers,” he said.

“It’s a shared responsibility. We can provide the safest workplace in the world, but if people come to work when they know they are sick they can still spread their infection around.”

An airport spokesman said: “We continue to assist Qantas and SA Health and to support and promote the expanded testing criteria for Adelaide Airport announced this afternoon by SA Health.

“In line with our correspondence with the Transport Workers Union in early February, we have at all times followed Australian Government medical and border security advice; have been working closely with relevant state and federal bodies to ensure coordination of all COVID-19 issues; and have been vigilant in ensuring the safety of our workforce.”

Mr Marshall announced contact tracing of potential COVID-19 victims would be dramatically boosted after an extra 300 public servants were recruited to SA Health’s investigations team, increasing it to 440.

Another school will close tomorrow after a staff member tested positive – Pennington School R-7.

SA Health has also released heat maps, which show the council areas that have the most COVID-19 patients.

You can see the maps here.

300 new staff to track down people at risk of virus

Three hundred staff will be added to SA Health’s contact tracing team tracking people who COVID-infectious patients had contact with.

Public servants with investigative, medical and communications skills including medical students will bolster the team to 440.

It will start with an additional 150 with another 150 on standby as disease numbers surge.

“This contact tracing is absolutely critical in our fight against COVID-19 in South Australia,” Premier Steven Marshall said.

It comes as new figures show SA leading the world in testing with 15,250 tests per million people as of March 31. This compares with Australia at 9985, Italy at 8373, South Korea at 7977, the US at 3220 and the UK at 2156.

SA Pathology clinical director Dr Tom Dodd said about 1500 tests a day are being done and lab turnaround time had been cut to 17 hours. There are now 54 tests sites, 48 in regional areas.

“We are performing very well,” Dr Dodd said.

The government has committed an extra $5 million to cleaning schools, which will close early for Easter but Mr Marshall ruled out a school shutdown for Term 2.

“I could not be clearer, schools will remain open,” he said, noting it is vital education and supervision are maintained.

Nursing homes at risk of closing over virus

Aged cares homes across South Australia are being squeezed to the brink of financial ruin, putting the care of elderly residents at risk during the COVID-19 pandemic, a new report shows.

Analysis reveals almost two-thirds of facilities in SA were unprofitable on average over a six-month period. Read more here

Wipe down luggage – but washing hands better

Coronavirus can live on an object’s surface for days, so wiping luggage down with disinfectant to reduce potential transmission is a good idea, SAHMRI’s executive director and professor in infectious diseases says.

Professor Steve Wesselingh said all measures should be in place to minimise the spread of the virus amid the pandemic, but if worried, people should revert back to frequently washing their hands. He said the virus could live on a bag for days.

“We do know the virus can survive on surfaces for normally hours, but it can in some instances, days,” Professor Wesselingh said.

“It’s unusual but certainly that has been documented.”

The hygiene warning comes as a cluster of more than six baggage handlers at Adelaide Airport tested positive to COVID-19 on Tuesday.

A variety of products could be used to clean the baggage, Professor Wesselingh said, including bleach products or soap and water.

“The products that you would use to disinfect a counter in the kitchen or something like that you can use to disinfect luggage if you have concerns.”

SA Health has released a list of tips on cleaning your bag when returning from travel.

It recommended people wipe the external surface of their bag with detergent disinfectant, as well as the handles and grips. The bag should be dried in the sun or outside.

– Dixie Sulda

Cleaning your bag when returning from travel:

(1) Wipe external surfaces with a detergent disinfectant product, using a dampened disposable or launderable cloth. Thoroughly clean handles and grips.

(2) Dry your bag properly in the sun or air dry

(3) Wash hands thoroughly after pic.twitter.com/w93NL1IDwb — SA Health (@SAHealth) March 31, 2020

More cases overnight linked to Qantas staff

More coronavirus cases have been confirmed overnight, connected to six Qantas Adelaide Airport baggage handlers who tested positive to COVID-19 on Tuesday.

SA’s chief public health officer, associate professor Dr Nicola Spurrier, said “several” new cases emerged after tests were done overnight. However, she did not have exact figures.

“There have been several more cases overnight and I don’t have further details but I will be able to update people later in the day about that,” Dr Spurrier told ABC Radio Adelaide.

“It’s goes to show how transmissible this virus is, particularly when you have people working in close proximity to each other.”

SA Health reported 32 new cases on Tuesday, including six airline workers, only 24 hours after the state recorded one of its lowest daily infection rates.

As authorities raced to identity the airport cluster source, more than 100 Qantas baggage handlers were placed in a 14-day quarantine.

SA Health and the embattled carrier scrambled to maintain baggage operations as travellers were urged to clean luggage.

Any airport visitor since Monday is urged to seek urgent testing if feeling unwell.

media_camera A police officer at Adelaide Airport. Picture: Matt Loxton

Service SA shuts down some functions indefinitely

A range of Service SA functions will be put on ice as part of social-distancing measures required to slow coronavirus, as people are urged to do as much as they can online.

Services to stall indefinitely during the health crisis include practical driving assessments for medical reasons, Rider Safe training and assessment courses, and learner theory.

The Government is also suspending “non-essential transactions” at its physical centres, which include the issue of custom number plates, proof-of-age cards, training and assessment of applicants for a motor driving instructor licences and the need for most people to attend a medical practitioner to complete a certificate of fitness to retain a driver’s licence.

It follows other disease-control measures already implemented including a request to use eftpos rather than cash, 1.5m separation lines, changes to seating spacing and restrictions on how many customers can enter a centre at once.

Transport Minister Stephan Knoll said the Government was doing everything it could to make Service SA centres safe for users and staff.

Staff are also regularly wiping down all surface areas, and customers who are unwell when they present to centres are being asked not to enter.

“I appreciate that these temporary changes may take some time to get used to but it’s important for the health and safety of everyone involved that we reduce the number of people having face-to-face interactions at our Service SA centres,” Mr Knoll said.

Mr Knoll urged people to visit www.service.sa.gov.au or call 13 10 84 if needing help.

– Daniel Wills