Premier Steven Marshall has triggered never-before used local powers to help slow the spread of coronavirus, as SA’s 20th case was confirmed on Sunday.

It comes as another case of coronavirus was confirmed in SA on Sunday, bringing the total number of cases in this state to 20.

The new case is a woman in her 60s returning from the US.

The woman was swabbed by a local GP after getting off a flight. The SA Government says she was not believed to be infectious on the flight and protocols are being followed to make contact with other passengers.

Premier Steven Marshall revealed the latest case at a press conference on Sunday afternoon, where he also said there were still no plans to shut schools, as outlined by Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a speech immediately prior.

Mr Marshall also triggered never-before used local powers to help slow the virus’ spread, declaring a public health emergency.

media_camera Premier Steven Marshall with Chief Public Health Officer Associate Professor Nicola Spurrier. Picture: AAP Image/ Morgan Sette

Mr Marshall issued a new call for local calm, saying there was no reason to believe stores would run out of groceries or that coronavirus was on the loose in SA’s wider community.

However, he urged people to be vigilant and ready for disruption. That could include trialling work-from-home arrangements ahead of a time when they may become essential, he said.

The Government is also juggling hospital procedures to free up space likely to be needed.

Of SA’s 20 cases, 18 were identified as travellers returning from overseas.

Six of the 20 have already been discharged from hospital.

One was a traveller coming from interstate, while the last person contracted the virus from a partner.

The new cases included a woman in her 30s who travelled from Britain, a man in his 50s who returned from the US and a woman aged in her 80s, who had visited undisclosed countries.

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“There is still no evidence, whatsoever, of community transmission in SA,” Mr Marshall said. “We are at a much lower level of risk in SA than the other jurisdictions. We want to make sure that we have the highest level of protection possible.”

The public health emergency declaration opens the door for the State Government to begin imposing special clampdowns on wider ranges of people and activities. It comes in addition to powers rushed through Parliament that allow for the direction and detention of individuals.

Mr Marshall has not announced specific measures that will flow from the emergency declaration, but is flagging targeted plans for the aged-care sector and remote communities.

He said it was essential the nation’s leaders speak with a single voice to avoid confusion.

“It is very important that there is calm in regards to the purchase of items,” Mr Marshall said.

“I know that people probably feel anxious. These are uncharted waters for our nation. I don’t think there’s any cause for alarm.

“There is literally no suggestion whatsoever that supply chains won’t be maintained.”

As State Cabinet prepared to meet more regularly in the official fight against the pandemic, a total of six patients have now recovered and been discharged from SA hospitals.

Premier Steven Marshall spoke again to interstate colleagues and Prime Minister Scott Morrison in a new national “war” Cabinet.

National Cabinet next meets on Tuesday night, and then on Friday in Melbourne.

SA Cabinet meets on Monday, and again on Thursday.

Boost for project dollars

Local road and infrastructure projects that keep South Australians in work will get a $50 million boost as the State Government reveals details of an economic stimulus package.

Premier Steven Marshall will on Monday double his funding for the existing planning and development fund, which asks councils to match the government spend and tip in half.

The State Government component will rise to $25 million, leveraging the total $50 million construction spend.

The types of projects to be considered could include revitalisation of reserves and parks, linear parks, coastal reserves, trails and open space linkages, foreshore and riverfront precincts, civic plazas, town squares and main streets.

Already announced in the $350 million overall economic stimulus package are a suite of regional hospital upgrades and likely country road repairs.

Projects funded from the planning and development fund must be “shovel ready”, so they can start as soon as possible and sustain jobs over the months when coronavirus’ economic and employment hit is likely to be greatest passes.

The current grant round has also been extended until April 9 to give councils more time to submit projects.

Emergency summit to aid business

Business SA will hold an emergency summit of industry organisations and government and roll out unlimited “resilience workshops” in response to unprecedented demand from business owners desperate for advice.

From late this month the state’s peak business organisation will start holding free workshops for members and non-members, covering issues such as cash flow, employment obligations and workers’ rights and short-term tactics to ensure business survival.

Business SA chief executive Martin Haese said the coronavirus outbreak represented a challenge to South Australian businesses, which was unprecedented in recent years.

He said it was vital that the state swing from the notion of “employment growth” to “employment preservation”, and that businesses had every tool possible at their disposal to survive. “We’ve had many conversations in recent months and years about employment growth. I think this actually fundamentally shifts in the short term to employment preservation,’’ Mr Haese said.

media_camera Business SA Martin Haese said the pandemic was an unprecedented challenge. Picture: Kelly Barnes

“I think that’s a very different conversation and I think businesses and their employees together will need to look at all options so that companies can preserve jobs.’’

Mr Haese said there would be an end to the crisis, and the focus had to be on ensuring as many businesses and jobs as possible survived until it was over. “This crisis will pass. We don’t know when ... we want to ensure that the South Australian economy is as robust as it can be coming out of this situation so that it rebounds quickly,” he said. “If there’s an overcorrection in terms of shedding staff it will take longer for the economy to recover.’’

Mr Haese said there would be industry experts and government representatives at the planned workshops who could explain the support packages being supplied by state and federal governments, and the ins and outs of relevant business laws.

“The workshops are primarily designed to provide employers and business owners with practical advice around what to do in these unprecedented circumstances,” he said. “This will be around business resilience. This will be around employment obligations and employment options.

“This will be around short-term tactics to preserve the health of your business during a time when arguably sales are being impacted in many businesses, especially those with a customer-facing nature.’’

Mr Haese said the workshops would be “entirely demand driven’’, meaning they would hold as many as were necessary. “They’ll be smaller groups, we’ll limit the number of people in each of these meetings, and we’ll just keep having them because we’re getting an unprecedented level of demand already through our business advice hotlines. There’s been a rapid escalation in recent days.’’

Mr Haese said cash flow would be critical for almost all businesses in the near term, irrespective of their size, “and there are ways and means where businesses can manage their cash flow in the short term’’. “This will be very practical in terms of the advice we will be giving,” he said.

“It will be extremely practical to give business owners options for how to manage cash flow, preserve cash flow, to ride out what could be an increasingly turbulent period. The uncertainty as much as the reality is of great concern.’’

Mr Haese said the summit would include, “the CEOs, presidents and chairs of the chambers of commerce, industry associations and business associations from across South Australia to discuss how we can individually and collectively step up and support the SA business community in this time of unprecedented challenge”.