COVID-19 update 23 December 2022

23 December 2022

COVID Cases in SA

There have been 10,474 new cases of COVID-19 reported in South Australia in the past week.

As of 11:59pm Thursday 22 December, 193 people with COVID-19 in hospital, including eight in ICU and two ventilated.

Of those hospitalised, 143 people had received three or more vaccine doses, 32 people were either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated and 18 had an unknown vaccination status.

There were 24 COVID-19 deaths notified in the past week, the ages range from people in their 40s to 100s, including two deaths in people aged under 70 years. Deaths may not have occurred in the week in which they were reported.

Please note that due to a reconfiguration of the data, the total number of cases has been readjusted.

Total case breakdown

{​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​{​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​table.title}​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​}​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
  ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This week Previous week
New cases 10,474 10,754
Total cases 853,367 842,328
Total deaths 1,144* 1,126

*Six deaths have been removed from the total due to previously reported deaths found to be unrelated to COVID-19

Variants

The latest genome sampling has found 48% of samples analysed were BA.5 and related variants (of which 65% is B.Q.1), 30% were BA.2 and related variants (of which 85% is BA.2.75 and 2% is XBB), and one BA.4 related variant were detected.

COVID testing

In the past week, 24,062 people received a PCR test in South Australia, a 4% decrease on the previous week. Of the test results returned, 5,072 PCR tests were positive, 5,402 positive Rapid Antigen Test results were reported.

Testing sites

Over Christmas and New Year, SA Pathology PCR testing sites will remain open, but usual hours may change in response to demand or hot weather.

Go to www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/covidtesting to check opening hours, allow extra time to get tested and take water with you.

GP Respiratory Clinics

The 10 metropolitan and regional GP Respiratory Clinics (GPRCs) funded by the Commonwealth Government will be extending their operations until the end of February 2023.

Vaccination update

Currently 96.6% of eligible South Australians aged 12+ have received their first dose of the vaccine and 94.6% have received their second dose. Boosters have been administered to 75.6% of eligible South Australians and 71.7% of South Australians aged 16+.

If you have any COVID-19 symptoms, no matter how mild, please seek testing as soon as possible.

For more information, visit www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/COVID-19