Coronavirus disease (COVID-19): Update #22 Amended
4 August 2020
Several new cases of COVID-19 have been identified in South Australia in recent days. Most are returned travellers or close contacts of a returned traveller, including a cluster of four cases linked to a traveller from Victoria.
SA Health has identified several locations visited by cases while infectious. A list of these locations is available on the Contact tracing - coronavirus (COVID-19) page and will be updated as more information becomes available.
High levels of testing are essential for early detection and containment of cases. Due to high demand for COVID-19 testing, additional testing sites are being established in metropolitan Adelaide. Please visit the Covid-19 clinics and testing centres page for up-to-date information about testing options for your patients.
Doctors are advised to
- Test anyone who presents with symptoms of COVID-19, even if mild, including:
- Acute respiratory infection (e.g. cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, runny nose) OR
- Fever OR history of fever or chills in the absence of an alternative diagnosis that explains the clinical presentation (clinical discretion applies including consideration of the potential for co-infection e.g. concurrent infection with SARS-CoV-2 and influenza) OR
- Acute unexplained loss of smell or altered sense of taste OR
- Persons with new onset of other clinical symptoms compatible with COVID-19 (headache, myalgia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea) AND who are close contacts of a confirmed case of COVID‑19; or who have returned from overseas or interstate in the past 14 days.
- Inform symptomatic patients they MUST self-isolate while awaiting test results.
- Remind patients and staff not to attend childcare, work or school if they are unwell.
- Familiarise themselves with the testing locations listed on the SA Health website.
- Refer patients for testing at one of the Covid-19 clinics and testing centres if you are unable to carry out testing in your clinic.
- Remember that mandatory testing and quarantine requirements are in place for people who have travelled from Victoria, NSW and ACT; visit the Covid-19 clinics and testing centres page and cross-border travel page for more information.
- Visit www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/COVID2019 for South Australian updates and information.
- Note that PCR testing is required for acute infection, and serology is not useful.
All enquiries
For all enquires please contact the CDCB on 1300 232 272 (24 hours/7 days)
Updated information on notifiable diseases
For updated information on notifiable diseases in South Australia visit www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/NotifiableDiseaseReporting
Dr Louise Flood – Director, Communicable Disease Control Branch
