• Twelve new COVID-19 cases in SA, including two health care workers
• COVID hospitalisations rise in Vic, case numbers surge in NSW
• Quarantine time for SA Omicron contacts changed
• School in Adelaide’s south identified as exposure site
• Treasurer says SA budget surplus on track despite $200m deficit blowout
• Woman dies after Riverland motorbike crash
• Victoria wins mRNA vaccine manufacturing deal
• New subs deal to cost at least $116b: thinktank

Twelve new COVID-19 cases in SA, including two health care workers

South Australia has reported 12 new cases of COVID-19 today, including two health care workers who visited and cared for residents at several aged care facilities across Adelaide.

SA Health said this afternoon that today’s cases were four women and four men aged between 20 and 60, and four children under the age of 12.

“Of these cases, one acquired their infection interstate, five acquired their infection locally and are known contacts of a positive case, and six acquired their infection in Australia and investigations into the source of their infection is still ongoing.”

Included in today’s case numbers are two health care workers who visited and cared for residents at a number of residential aged care facilities across metropolitan Adelaide.

SA Health said it was contacting impacted facilities and asking them to enforce additional infection control measures while residents and staff get tested.

It said it was also working with the federal health department and the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission to enact protocols to protect aged care residents and staff from the spread of COVID-19.

Two men in their 30s and 60s are currently in the Royal Adelaide Hospital in a stable condition.

Of the 12 cases reported today, four are vaccinated and three are unvaccinated, while the status of the remaining five is unknown.

There are currently 70 active COVID-19 cases in the state and 651 close contacts who are in quarantine.

COVID hospitalisations rise in Victoria, case numbers surge in NSW

Victoria has reported 1189 new COVID-19 infections and a further six deaths, as the number of people in hospital with the virus grows.

The state is now managing 11,051 active cases, with hospitalisations at the highest level in almost a month, growing by more than 40 patients in a day to 364 on Tuesday.

The last time numbers were of a similar level was on November 16, when 394 people were in hospital with the virus.

Of those in hospital, 80 patients are actively infected with the virus in intensive care and 44 on ventilators, an increase of four from Monday’s figures.

The seven-day hospitalisation average is 327, a rise of 15 from Monday.

More than 92 per cent of Victorians aged over 12 are fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

COVID-19 infections have surged in NSW with 804 new cases and one death, as a cluster in Newcastle spreads and forces more people into isolation.

NSW Health says a total of 85 cases of COVID-19 with the Omicron variant of concern have been confirmed in the state and further cases of the new strain are expected.

The new tally is an increase of 268 on the previous day, as NSW Health battles to contain several large transmission events.

Some 86,562 tests were recorded in the 24 hours to 8pm on Monday.

The double-dose vaccination rate of those 16 and older is 93.2 per cent, while 94.8 per cent of people have had their first jab.

There are 168 people are in hospital with the virus, 21 of them in intensive care.

Some 81.4 per cent of children aged 12-15 have had one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 77.7 per cent are fully jabbed.

Quarantine time for SA Omicron contacts changed

Fully vaccinated close contacts of Omicron COVID-19 cases in South Australia will now only have to quarantine for seven days, SA Health has ruled, as the transition committee meets today to decide what restrictions will lift once the state hits 90 per cent vaccination.

SA Health announced on Friday that close contacts of suspected cases of the Omicron variant would be required to quarantine for 14 days, based on advice from the Communicable Disease Network Australia.

However, that requirement changed on Monday following a discussion of the nation’s chief health officers at an AHPPC (Australian Health Protection Principal Committee) meeting.

Unvaccinated close contacts of Omicron cases will still need to complete 14 days of quarantine – the same requirement as for unvaccinated Delta contacts – although fully vaccinated Omicron contacts can now leave isolation after seven days.

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said the reduced quarantine requirements would be a “more practical” strategy moving forward.

“This change will align with our response to Delta cases in South Australia and will be more practical to implement given that at some point it will not be possible to differentiate between these strains as the case numbers increase,” she said in a statement late on Monday.

“As a reminder, vaccinated close contacts still have requirements for a day 13 test, not attend a high risk setting or COVID management plan events, wear a surgical mask when around other people, avoid contact with vulnerable people and avoid shared spaced and maintain physical distancing

“We continue to review the ongoing situation and latest information available and let the community know of all updates in our response to stopping the spread of COVID-19.”

The number of close contacts in quarantine in SA surged to more than 2300 on the weekend before dropping to 908 on Monday.

South Australia recorded two cases of the Omicron variant over the weekend.

It comes as the state’s transition committee today looks at providing more detail on what restrictions will lift once the state hits the 90 per cent vaccination target

The milestone is when restrictions on “most activities” are due to be lifted and quarantine requirements for international travellers removed, according to the state’s reopening roadmap release in October, although the Omicron variant has prompted changes to the plan.

As of Sunday, 84.2 per cent of South Australians over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated, while 91.1 per cent have had at least one shot.

Premier Steven Marshall said on Monday he was “hopeful” a date would be set this week to give people “certainty” on when restrictions will lift – similar to when the State Government set November 23 as the date for borders reopening.

“We need to determine and give certainty to the people of South Australia in terms of what day we will get to 90 per cent and what restrictions will be reduced at that point,” he told reporters on Monday.

“I’m hopeful that this week – whether or not it happens at [Tuesday’s transition committee] meeting, but hopefully this week – we’ll be able to provide that certainty so that people can plan.”

School in Adelaide’s south identified as exposure site

An assembly at Willunga Primary School has been identified as a close contact exposure site, with all students, staff and families attending having to quarantine ahead of Christmas.

SA Health issued an alert on Monday listing a whole school assembly held at the school on Friday, December 10 from 9am to 10:30am as a close contact exposure site.

Anyone unvaccinated who was there at the listed time is required to quarantine for 14 days, while fully vaccinated contacts are required to quarantine for seven days.

COVID-19 vaccines are currently only available to those aged 12 and up, meaning the majority of students at the school will be required to quarantine for 14 days – until 12:01am Christmas morning.

Willunga Primary School has 432 enrolled students as of Term 3 this year, according to the Education Department.

The rollout of Pfizer vaccine for kids aged five and up is not due to start until January 10.

SA Health also on Monday downgraded its risk assessment for three exposure sites it identified linked to the state’s first two Omicron cases.

The Supercheap Auto in Kilburn, listed as an exposure site for Wednesday, December 8 from 12pm to 1:45pm, has been downgraded to a low risk casual contact site, as has the Chicken Shack Seafood and Grill in Plympton for Tuesday, December 7 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm.

Anyone present at either site at the designated times is now only asked to monitor for symptoms.

Similarly, the Olivers Pets and Plants on Plants close contact exposure site in Glengowrie has been downgraded to a casual contact site for customers, requiring them only to quarantine until a negative test if they were there on Tuesday, December 7 from 8:30am to 5:30pm.

SA Health says staff who were at the pet store on that day are still deemed close contacts.

South Australia recorded 13 new cases on Monday, including four locally acquired infections and two “unlinked” cases.

Treasurer says SA budget surplus on track despite $200m deficit blowout

The Marshall Government has blamed the impact of COVID for a $200 million blowout in South Australia’s deficit in the six months since the budget was handed down – but the Treasurer insists the state remains on track for a surplus next year.

In his final Mid-Year Budget Review as Treasurer before his retirement from politics at the March election, Rob Lucas said the state would return to “a modest operating surplus” next year, despite a current deficit for 2021-22 of $1.59 billion – up from $1.397 billion in June.

However, he said the final budget outcome for the previous 2020-21 year had landed around $1.2 billion better off than the expected $1.8 billion deficit – setting the groundwork for a faster recovery.

That was aided, he said, by buoyant payroll taxes, reflecting SA’s “stronger than predicted” economic bounceback from the 2020 COVID shutdown.

However, he conceded reining in soaring debt levels – from $18 billion in the current year to $23 billion by 2025 – would be a budget fix beyond even the next Treasurer after he bows out.

“There is no way any [immediate] successor of any persuasion is going to be able to turn around this level of debt in a four year period,” he said, noting the endeavour would take ongoing “fiscal discipline” with successive surpluses, as budgeted, to pay down debt.

But he insisted credit rating agencies had determined the state was carrying a “manageable level of debt”.

Lucas reiterated his intention to serve out his term as Treasurer until his polling day retirement, saying his collaborative approach to budget decisions with cabinet’s budget committee meant “clearly there are at least a handful of people well versed in the decisions that we’ve taken” who could then step into the role, if the Government is returned.

-Tom Richardson

Woman dies after Riverland motorbike crash

A passenger who was riding on the back of a motorbike has died after a crash with a car in Paringa on Monday afternoon.

Police say they were called to the intersection of Sturt Highway and Murtho Road around 2:45pm on Monday after reports of a crash between a car and a bike.

A 62-year-old woman from Paringa who was riding as a pillion passenger on the motorbike died at the scene, while a 66-year-old rider, also from Paringa, was taken to Berri Hospital in a serious condition.

He was airlifted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital overnight.

The 30-year-old driver of the car was not injured, according to police.

It take the state’s road toll for the year to 94, compared to 88 at the same point last year.

Police say the Sturt Highway has since reopened to all traffic.

Victoria wins mRNA vaccine manufacturing deal

The federal government has selected Victoria as the location of a new onshore mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility to help the country prepare for future pandemics.

The facility will be built as part of a partnership between the federal and state governments as well as vaccine manufacturer Moderna.

It’s expected the facility could produce as many as 100 million vaccines each year from 2024.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who will announce the mRNA vaccine facility on Tuesday, said it would help the country be prepared should there be another pandemic.

“This investment will continue to secure Australia’s future economic prosperity while protecting lives by providing access to world-leading mRNA vaccines made on Australian soil,” Morrison said.

“The new mRNA manufacturing facility in Victoria will produce respiratory vaccines for potential future pandemics and seasonal health issues such as the common flu.”

The decision to build a facility in Victoria comes after the federal government first released an approach to market for mRNA vaccine manufacturing in May.

Biologics contract development and manufacturing firm BioCina, who own a newly opened 4600m² drug manufacturing facility in Thebarton, were among the firms to submit an application to the approach to market.

While Australia has been able to manufacture its own COVID-19 vaccines during the pandemic, such as AstraZeneca, it has not been able to make the newer mRNA vaccines.

The country’s amount of mRNA vaccines – such as Moderna and Pfizer – has been reliant on supplies from overseas during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The mRNA facility will be able to make COVID-19 vaccines as well as other vaccines that use the technology once they have been approved by the country’s medical regulator.

The federal government is also set to invest $25 million in the next financial year to help researchers conduct clinical trials of mRNA vaccines.

New subs deal to cost at least $116b: thinktank

Australia’s new nuclear-powered submarine deal is estimated to cost $116 billion on top of costs from the scrapped French deal, according to estimates from a defence thinktank, with the first sub not set to hit the water until at least 2041.

The Australian Strategic Policy Institute weighed up the options available for the federal government for the eight-boat program and flagged that costs are likely to be higher due to Australia’s choice in build strategy.

The analysis concluded it would be at least 20 years before a submarine would be in the water with the build likely ranking as Australia’s largest and most complex endeavour.

Australia is due to consider its options over the next 18 months as defence officials decide whether the go with a United States or British design under the new trilateral AUKUS security alliance.

ASPI’s report details the possible pathways forward and compared the potential for US and UK submarine build timelines.

It found the UK submarine program would likely be available to start by the end of the decade based on the country’s current build schedule while any US boats could be pushed out until after 2030.

Australia will also need to weigh up whether to proceed with a continuous build, where the next boat is built in time to replace the nuclear powered submarine when it comes to the end of its life, or an economic build, where they would be produced in the most efficient manner possible.

Each include trade-offs between cost, scheduling and security.

The economic build would cost between $116 billion and $129 billion while the continuous build would set Australia back between $153 billion and $171 billion.

The costs account for inflation. ASPI notes pinpointing costs are unreliable due to the uncertainty but the broad estimate covers most key variables, including using eight submarines as a minimum, engaging local construction and boats weighing between 7000 and 10,000 tonnes based off current designs.

-With AAP and Reuters