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More than 120 in quarantine after infected NSW truckie travels through SA

Erin LyonsNCA NewsWire
Not Supplied
Camera IconNot Supplied Credit: News Corp Australia

Health officials are racing to contact South Australians who may have been exposed to Covid-19 after an infected truck driver visited the state.

More than 120 people have been contacted so far, SA’s Deputy Chief Health Officer Emily Kirkpatrick confirmed, after several exposure sites were listed by the health department.

The driver, a man in his 20s who had one Pfizer jab, was in the state on Wednesday and Saturday last week.

Dr Kirkpatrick said the man developed some mild symptoms on September 18 and immediately got tested. He returned a positive result the following day.

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The man’s co-driver tested negative.

“We’ve been able to now interview both the driver and also his co-driver who was with him at the time,” she said.

Caltex exposure site. Picture: Google
Camera IconThere were concerns about a men’s shower block attached to a petrol station. Google Credit: Supplied

She said the health department issued an alert on Wednesday night and provided advice for those who were at exposure sites about quarantine and testing requirements.

There are concerns many people have been exposed to the virus but do not know because they didn’t use a QR code check in at the exposure sites.

Dr Kirkpatrick said 126 people checked in and have been told to follow relevant quarantining advice.

“We’ve had a few people come through the process who have self identified through our survey,” she said.

“If you forgot to check in and you've noticed this was a site that you were at, please go to the website and fill in the survey and we’ll be able to contact you to provide health advice.”

Authorities will now comb through additional details from the petrol station, including CCTV, to help “tie up any loose ends” in the tracing process, Dr Kirkpatrick said.

VAX POP UP
Camera IconDr Emily Kirkpatrick said more than 120 people were isolating. NCA NewsWire / Naomi Jellicoe Credit: News Corp Australia

She was concerned given the man was symptomatic in SA on September 18 and posed a “real risk” to residents in the state.

“This is now our seventh truck driver coming into the state who has been positive. Here in South Australia we need to remain very vigilant that this is a real risk coming over from the eastern states,” Dr Kirkpatrick said.

Earlier it was revealed the infectious driver visited 10 sites, mainly truck stops, across Adelaide’s north, Port Augusta, Penong and Wudinna.

SA Exposure Sites

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier had earlier flagged concerns about a men’s shower block at a Penong Caltex truck stop in the state’s far west.

The site is considered a Tier 1 location which means anyone who was there at the listed times needs to isolate for 14 days regardless of their test result. Their household contacts need to do the same.

MODERNA BRISBANE
Camera IconThe Moderna vaccine is available at pharmacies in South Australia. NCA NewsWire / Dan Peled Credit: News Corp Australia

Other sites were listed as Tier 2 which requires an immediate test and 14 days’ quarantine but not with the household.

Meanwhile, the Moderna vaccine has been made available at pharmacies across South Australia to anyone older than 12.

It is an mRNA vaccine similar to Pfizer and demand is expected to be high.

“Having another 140 pharmacies in the state delivering Moderna will be such welcomed news by the community,” Dr Kirkpatrick said.

Originally published as More than 120 in quarantine after infected NSW truckie travels through SA

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