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A man has died from COVID-19 in the Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Key points:
- SA Health said the man contracted the virus from the Ruby Princess
- The state's total number of confirmed cases currently sits at 429
- The national death toll from coronavirus now sits at 57
SA Health said the 74-year-old man had contracted the virus from the Ruby Princess cruise ship.
His death overnight is the fourth recorded in South Australia.
"Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the man," SA Health said.
A 76-year-old man from regional South Australia died on Thursday after acquiring the illness from a group of Swiss tourists in the Barossa Valley.
It followed the deaths of a 62-year-old woman who had been a passenger on the Ruby Princess and 75-year-old Adelaide man Francesco Ferraro.
Mr Ferraro acquired coronavirus while interstate, and died in the Royal Adelaide Hospital last Monday.
Just one further case of coronavirus was recorded in the state yesterday, with the total number now sitting at 429.
Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said more than half of those cases had recovered, with 225 recoveries so far.
Dr Spurrier said further investigations by SA Health into clusters at the Barossa Valley and the Adelaide Airport had also helped them to link more cases.
She said the airport cluster now had 34 cases linked, with 18 from people working in the baggage-handling area, three other Qantas workers in the airport, as well as 13 close contacts.
There are also two clusters linked to 40 people in the Barossa Valley wine region, and authorities are still urging people to avoid travelling to and from the area.
Free parking announced for hospital staff
This morning, Health Minister Stephen Wade announced free parking for hospital staff during the coronavirus pandemic.
It comes after the Opposition last month called on the State Government to waive hospital car park fees for frontline health workers.
Mr Wade said the free parking would further support frontline health workers as they worked to protect the health of South Australians.
"Looking after those workers on the frontline of the response to COVID-19 is part of the Marshall Government's strong plan to deal with the coronavirus pandemic," he said.
"Free car parking for the doctors, nurses, cleaners and receptionists at our metropolitan hospitals adds to a series of initiatives already in place."
Premier Steven Marshall said hospital workers who did not have a car, or preferred to use public transport to get to work, would also be provided with free travel on public transport.
"We care for those who care for us. We are determined to support our dedicated hospital staff doing daily battle with this nasty, insidious disease," Mr Marshall said.
What the experts are saying about coronavirus:
Topics: death, community-and-society, health, diseases-and-disorders, covid-19, government-and-politics, adelaide-5000, sa
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