COVID Cases in SA
There have been 3,797 new cases of COVID-19 reported in South Australia in the past week.
The increase in cases reported is in line with increases in other states, and modelling that projected a wave in November. It is also consistent with increases in our wastewater monitoring counts. The timing of the peak and the size of this peak is difficult to determine at this time.
We can all reduce the impact of this current COVID-19 wave on the community by getting tested with any symptoms (RAT or PCR), staying home when sick (at least 5-7 days if COVID-19 positive) and staying well away from those more vulnerable. If you have to leave the home, it is critical you wear a mask. And please let your employer know you are COVID-19 positive so they can advise return to work protocols.
If you know you have been in contact with someone who is COVID positive, wear a mask when outside the home, plus do frequent Rapid Antigen Tests to pick up the infection early.
To help protect others, consider wearing a mask in crowded indoor places and public transport.
As of 11:59pm Thursday 3 November, there were 2,852 active cases in South Australia and 53 people with COVID-19 in hospital, including six in ICU.
Of those hospitalised, 41 people had received three or more vaccine doses and 12 people were either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
There were 29 COVID-19 deaths notified in the past week, the ages range from people in their 40s to people over the age of 100, including six deaths in people aged under 70 years. Deaths may not have occurred in the week in which they were reported.
Total case breakdown
| This week | Previous week | |
|---|---|---|
| New cases | 3,797 | 2,851 |
| Current active cases | 2,852 | 2,098 |
| Total cases | 784,599 | 780,614* |
| Total deaths | 1,061 | 1,034** |
*Please note that due to a reconfiguration of the data, the total number of cases has been readjusted.
**Two deaths have been removed from the total due to previously reported deaths found to be unrelated to COVID-19
Variants
The latest genome sampling (88 cases in total) has found 78% of samples analysed were BA.5 and related variants, 3.4% were BA.4 and related variants, and 18.6% were BA.2 and related variants.
The variants of most concern because they show greater levels of escaping from someone's previous immunity (either past infection or vaccination), are BQ.1 (a subvariant of BA.5) and XBB (which is a recombining of BA.2 and BA.2.75). South Australia has reported a total of 59 cases of BQ.1 and 24 cases of XBB.
COVID testing
In the past week, 15,591 people received a PCR test in South Australia, an 8% increase on the previous week. Of the test results returned, 1,789 PCR tests were positive, while 2,008 positive Rapid Antigen Test results were reported.
Vaccination update
Currently 96.5% 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 75.4% of eligible South Australians and 71.4% of South Australians aged 16+.
