COVID-19 in Murray Bridge and surrounds

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After almost 12 months after COVID-19 arrived in the Murraylands, this will be our last regular update on case numbers, vaccination rates and exposure sites – remember those?

A total of 9544 cases have been reported in the Murray Bridge district, and 1996 in the Coorong district, since the coronavirus arrived in earnest last Christmas, according to SA Health.

Case numbers are slowly rising at present – another 112 cases were reported in Murray Bridge during the past week, and 18 in the Coorong district.

However, despite the ongoing public health risk, with all restrictions having been lifted, drive-through PCR testing sites closed and adult vaccination rates steady, there is no longer so much value in Murray Bridge News publishing regular updates.

More than 88 per cent of Murray Bridge residents over the age of 16 have had at least one dose of vaccine, almost half have had four doses, and 42% of those aged 5-15 are double-vaxxed.

The figures in the Coorong are similar, within a few percentage points.

For a last word, then, we’ll repeat SA Health’s advice: if you begin experiencing COVID symptoms, get a test and stay home ‘til you feel better.

After all, this is a disease which has killed more than 1100 South Australians since the pandemic began, and left thousands more with ongoing health problems – and it looks as though it’s here to stay.

• More information about COVID-19: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/covid-19.
• More information about case numbers: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.
• What to do if you or someone in your household tests positive to COVID-19: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/covidpositive.

December 9

Another 106 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge district in the past week, according to SA Health.

Sixty-six cases were listed as being active on Friday.

Over the same period, 21 new cases were reported in the Coorong district; the active total there was 14.

Across South Australia, almost 10,000 new cases and 35 COVID-related deaths were reported during the past week.

December 2

More than 400 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge district during the past fortnight, according to SA Health.

That’s a reasonably dramatic escalation over the 40-50 new cases in each of the three previous fortnights.

Another 67 cases were reported in the Coorong district over the same period.

November 18

If you’re into auspicious numbers, you might like to know that 8888 cases of COVID-19 have now been reported in the Murray Bridge district since the pandemic began.

Fifty-two of those have been in the past 10 days.

There are still only 14 active cases in the district, though.

In the Coorong, that number remains below five, though there have been 22 new cases reported in the past week and a half.

November 8

The PCR testing site at Tailem Bend has now closed, SA Health has announced.

Meanwhile, the department has updated its regional COVID-19 statistics for the first time in two weeks.

Not much has changed in Murray Bridge; just 49 new cases were reported over the past fortnight, and 12 remained active on Friday.

There were 17 new cases in the Coorong district, of which less than five remained active.

All of those figures were comparable to the previous fortnight.

October 25

Another 64 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge and Coorong districts over the past fortnight.

SA Health reported on Tuesday that, as of last Friday, there were 15 active cases in Murray Bridge and 13 in the Coorong.

The total number of infections for each district stood at 8787 and 1850, respectively, since the pandemic began.

As ever, SA Health advised anyone experiencing symptoms, no matter how mild, to get tested as soon as possible.

October 14

Starting today, people who test positive to COVID-19 will no longer need to isolate or stay at home.

SA Health is still urging people to test for the virus if they experience symptoms, and to report any positive test results.

But the department’s advice on mask-wearing, avoiding crowds and staying away from medical facilities is now just that: a strong recommendation, not mandatory.

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said the new rules were in line with those in other states.

“South Australians have done an incredible job keeping each other safe throughout the pandemic, and I know this will continue as we move forward,” she said.

“We can shift to the next phase of the pandemic due the very high rates of vaccination and hybrid immunity, and businesses and individuals having the capacity and expertise to now take more control.”

Meanwhile, just eight COVID-19 cases remained active in the Murray Bridge district as of this Tuesday, and fewer than five in the Coorong, according to SA Health.

Just 25 new cases were reported in Murray Bridge during the past fortnight.

• More information: www.facebook.com/sahealth.

October 7

Nothing new to report this week – SA Health has not updated its COVID case numbers since September 30.

September 30

People who test positive to COVID-19 will no longer have to isolate at home from October 14, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced.

The federal government will also end the pandemic leave payment which people have been eligible to apply for after they test positive, except for hospital, aged care, disability care and Aboriginal health service workers.

Meanwhile, 36 new COVID cases were reported in the Murray Bridge district during the past week, and three in the Coorong, according to SA Health

September 23

Just 26 new COVID cases have been reported in Murray Bridge during the past week.

Eight cases were reported in the Coorong district over the same period, according to SA Health.

The department continues to urge anyone with symptoms consistent with COVID-19, no matter how mild, to get tested and to report any positive result.

September 19

COVID case numbers have declined significantly in the Murraylands, according to SA Health’s first district-by-district data release in a month.

Just 18 cases were reportedly active in Murray Bridge as of last Friday, and seven in the Coorong district.

However, the latest figures also show that the public was not made aware of more than 1000 cases in the Murraylands in recent months.

The last time SA Health provided case numbers for the Coorong district, via a “heat map” on its website, was in early June.

In the three months since then – the department revealed on Friday – 643 COVID cases have been reported in the district, which has a population of less than 5500.

But SA Health’s heat map showed zero cases in the Coorong between early June and September 1, when the map was removed from the department’s website.

In Murray Bridge, 451 cases had been reported since the department’s last update, in mid-August.

The cases would likely have been included in the totals for South Australia, but their specific location was, until now, unclear.

• More information on COVID case numbers: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.

September 8

Visitor restrictions have eased at the Murraylands’ hospitals as COVID-19 case numbers continue to fall.

Inpatients, new mums and aged care residents will now be able to welcome any number of visitors between 11am and 8pm, seven days per week.

SA Health hasn’t provided any case numbers in the Murray Bridge district since mid-August, but we can guess that – with the number of new cases being reported across South Australia at the lowest level they’ve reached all year – the local number would also be relatively low.

For example, there were only four cases at Mobilong Prison a week ago, according to the Department for Correctional Services.

Murray Bridge News will provide further information as it becomes available, but we might be able to end these weekly updates in the near future – what do you think?

September 1

A key source of information for regional South Australians during the COVID-19 pandemic is no more, but a replacement is on the way.

SA Health has removed the heat map of cases around the state from its website.

In a statement, the department said it would soon replace it with a table of case numbers in each local government area.

Murray Bridge News understands that the map was being kept up to date by a third party; a simpler representation would be easier for SA Health staff to update themselves.

• More information: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.

August 25

Is it possible there have been no new cases of COVID-19 reported in Murray Bridge during the past week?

Perhaps.

It is also possible that SA Health has not updated its map of active cases in more than seven days.

Murray Bridge News is seeking clarification.

August 18

When will Murray Bridge’s hydrotherapy pool reopen?

A few locals have asked that question this week, prompting Murray Bridge News to seek an update from SA Health.

Their answer hasn’t changed since May: the pool will reopen when the number of active COVID-19 cases in Murray Bridge falls below 100.

As the graph above suggests, unfortunately, there is no way of knowing exactly how long that might take.

Each of the three waves of COVID-19 which have impacted our community so far has arrived a couple of weeks later and taken longer to fade away than in other parts of the state.

At the time of publication there were 261 active cases in the Murray Bridge district, including 82 new cases reported during the past week.

About a fifth of those may be at Mobilong Prison, where the Department for Correctional Services said there were 51 cases last Friday.

There were still none in the Coorong, according to SA Health.

August 11

It’s steady as she goes for coronavirus cases in Murray Bridge this week.

Another 306 new cases have been reported locally during the past seven days, enough to keep the current number of active cases flat at 279, according to SA Health.

The good news is that, if you start to experience COVID-like symptoms, you can now go and get checked out at the Murray Bridge Respiratory Clinic on weekends, since its opening hours have been extended.

Still, the drive-through testing centre at Tailem Bend remains the best place to go if you don’t have an appointment.

August 4

When it comes to getting vaccinated against COVID-19, Murray Bridge’s aged care residents have got the rest of us beat.

New figures from the federal Department of Health and Aged Care show that vaccination rates are much higher in local nursing homes than the general population:

• Lerwin: 80-89 per cent triple-vaxxed
• Resthaven Murray Bridge: 80-89%
• Coorong district: 74.7%
• Murray Bridge district: 72.3%

Aged Care Minister Anika Wells said nursing home vaccination rates had risen significantly since the government urged providers to help residents get a fourth vaccine dose.

“I strongly encourage aged care providers to continue to organise fourth doses as soon as residents are eligible, to ensure they have maximum protection,” she said.

The rate of new COVID-19 infections is holding steady in Murray Bridge at the moment, with 319 reported during the past week.

There were 279 active cases in the district at the time of publication, and none in the Coorong.

Meanwhile, concession card holders who need a rapid antigen test will continue to be able to pick them up for free at Murray Bridge Showground until September 30, after the state government announced this week that it would step in to fill a gap left by the federal government.

Close contacts of people infected with COVID-19 can still pick them up for free, too.

July 28

The current wave of COVID-19 doesn’t look to have peaked yet in the Murraylands.

Another 334 new cases were reported in Murray Bridge this week.

The number of active cases in the district stood at 293 on Thursday morning.

We don’t mean to jinx it, but there were still zero cases in the Coorong district for the sixth week running, according to SA Health, a statistic Murray Bridge News is querying with the department.

July 21

Health authorities’ advice has changed a bit lately, owing to the new coronavirus variants which are making their way through South Australia’s population:

• Anyone who has recovered from COVID-19 is now considered immune for just 28 days, not 12 weeks, according to SA Health; if you get sick again, you’ll need to get a PCR test and follow the close contact rules again
• RATs – rapid antigen tests – can only detect the new variants 60 per cent of the time, according to the Australian Medical Association; if you develop symptoms, you’re better off getting a PCR test
• You don’t have to wear a mask, but the AMA and SA Health both recommend it in crowds and indoor public places
• More COVID patients are now eligible to get anti-viral medication after they test positive, including anyone aged over 70 and people as young as 18 in some cases; SA Health has more information

Anyone who is not yet fully vaccinated will be able to access a pop-up clinic in the old day centre building at the Tailem Bend hospital next Wednesday from 9-10am; vaccines are also available from most GPs and pharmacies.

Meanwhile, 267 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge district during the past week, according to SA Health, bringing the total for the year to more than 7000.

• More information about anti-viral treatments for COVID-19: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.

July 14

A total of 314 new COVID-19 cases have been reported in Murray Bridge this week, the highest weekly total since May.

However, officially at least, SA Health is still reporting zero cases in the Coorong district.

State Health Minister Chris Picton and chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier have recommended that anyone over the age of 50 get a fourth dose of vaccine if they have had three previous shots, to protect them as case numbers rise ahead of a winter peak.

Anyone over the age of 30 is eligible to get a second booster dose if they wish.

Vaccinations are available from GPs, pharmacies and the vaccination clinic on Swanport Road, Murray Bridge … but if you can’t keep up with the clinic’s opening hours, we can’t blame you.

Two weeks ago the clinic was not listed among those around South Australia which were expected to close; a week ago its hours were reduced to one day a fortnight; then this week the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network added four extra days again.

Free Pfizer vaccines will be available to anyone eligible who visits the clinic between 9am and 4pm today and for each of the next three Thursdays, as well as every other Monday from July 25 to mid-September.

• Book a vaccination appointment: covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/booking.

July 7

Murray Bridge’s COVID-19 vaccination clinic will only open occasionally from next week onward, the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network has announced.

The clinic on Swanport Road will open every other Monday from 9am to 4pm, starting next Monday, July 11.

Many other clinics around the state have done the same, or closed altogether, since vaccines are now widely available through GPs and pharmacies.

Meanwhile, COVID-19 case numbers are rising across South Australia yet again as the next wave of the pandemic, fuelled by two particularly transmissible sub-variants of the coronavirus’ omicron variant, takes hold.

That’s the case in Murray Bridge, where there are currently 181 active cases, 32 more than last week, according to SA Health.

A total of 158 locals have tested positive in the past seven days.

The figure in the Coorong district is still zero.

Federal Health Minister Mark Butler urged everyone to get a booster vaccination if they had not already – especially people who had gone six months or more since their last dose.

“Two doses of vaccine is not enough to provide protection against omicron,” he said on Wednesday.

“A third dose is crucially important.”

June 30

The COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Swanport Road, Murray Bridge will remain open even as others around the state begin to close, state Health Minister Chris Picton has announced.

COVID vaccines are now generally available through GPs and chemists, but the Murray Bridge clinic will remain open from 9am to 4pm, Monday to Thursday.

Patients will no longer need to make appointments.

“South Australians can be assured they will still have access through approximately 600 GPs and pharmacies across the state, but also through the remaining SA Health sites, and we have the capacity to upscale if there is a need in the future,” Mr Picton said.

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier encouraged everyone to get vaccinated, or get a booster dose, if they hadn’t already.

“Vaccination remains our best defence against COVID-19 and helps to reduce transmission of the virus at a population level in addition to providing the best individual protection against severe disease and hospitalisation,” she said.

“I strongly encourage eligible South Australians who are not up-to-date with their relevant COVID-19 vaccination dose to visit one of the available vaccination sites, or visit their local GP or pharmacy.”

About 150 doses of vaccine have been given in Murray Bridge over the past three weeks, according to federal Department of Health figures.

Meanwhile, SA Health’s heat map still shows zero COVID cases in the Coorong district at the time of writing; and 149 in Murray Bridge, a handful more than last week.

June 23

Just as COVID-19 case numbers have fallen to their lowest level in months in the Murraylands, the state government is warning that a new surge is on the way.

Let’s start with the good news: just 141 cases remained in the Murray Bridge district on Thursday morning, and none in the Coorong, according to SA Health.

Although 155 new cases were reported over the previous week, the number of locals who recovered from the virus in that time was greater than the number that caught it.

However, Health Minister Chris Picton warned on Tuesday that a particularly transmissible sub-variant of the coronavirus had entered South Australia.

He expected case numbers to rise ahead of a peak in mid-July.

He urged South Australians to steer clear of hospital emergency departments unless they really needed to be there, and to seek care from GPs and other medical services instead.

June 16

The Coorong district is just one of two in South Australia where COVID-19 has been all but eliminated – at least for now.

According to SA Health’s heat map of active cases, there were officially none left in the Coorong on Wednesday evening, down from 23 a week earlier.

It has been 25 weeks since the district has been free of COVID cases.

There were still 191 active cases in Murray Bridge, though just nine were reported during the previous week.

Meanwhile, the federal Department of Health has stopped reporting district-by-district vaccination figures this week.

At last count, on June 4, 13.6 per cent of eligible Murray Bridge residents remained unvaccinated against COVID-19, while 70.8% were at least triple-vaxxed.

In the Coorong just 8.4% of people were unvaccinated, and 26.9% triple-vaxxed or better.

June 9

The fight against COVID-19 has taken a turn for the better in the Murraylands, according to the latest figures from SA Health.

Both districts recorded their lowest new case numbers since mid-March this week – 152 new cases were reported in Murray Bridge and just 17 in the Coorong.

At last count there were 186 active cases in Murray Bridge and 23 in the Coorong.

Meanwhile, the Murray Bridge hospital has reopened to visitors after staff were able to contain a COVID outbreak there.

The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network announced on Tuesday afternoon that visitors would once again be able to visit the hospital from 1pm on Wednesday.

It had been closed to visitors for just over a week.

June 2

As Murray Bridge News reported on Tuesday, a COVID-19 outbreak at the Murray Bridge hospital has forced it to close its doors to visitors for the time being.

Despite rigorous hygiene protocols, six patients had tested positive by Tuesday afternoon.

Those patients were among 269 new cases in the Murray Bridge district this week, though the number of active cases fell overall, to 351.

Thirty-three new cases have been reported in the Coorong, for a running total of 53.

Across the two districts, 7093 cases have been reported since the coronavirus arrived in the Murraylands on Christmas Eve.

May 26

COVID case numbers have veered upwards once again in the Murray Bridge district during the past week.

Another 386 new cases were reported this week, the highest total for any week this month.

There were 425 active cases in Murray Bridge on Thursday.

In the Coorong, seven new cases were reported during the past week, bringing the total there to 65 active cases.

May 19

International Nurses’ Day has given an opportunity to celebrate some of the workers who have spent the past two years on the front line of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network gave kudos to staff from around the region in a series of Facebook posts last Thursday.

The latest case numbers show they’ve still got their work cut out for them.

There were 405 active cases in Murray Bridge as of this Thursday, and 58 in the Coorong, according to SA Health.

A total of 315 new infections were reported across both districts during the past week.

Meanwhile, the local vaccination rate has remained flat for months, according to the federal Department of Health.

About 2500 Murray Bridge residents remain unvaccinated against COVID-19, though about 220 have changed their minds since February.

The proportion of double-vaccinated people is at 84.1 per cent, and 69.7% have received more than two doses of vaccine.

• Book a vaccination appointment: www.covid-19.sa.gov.au/vaccination.

May 12

ray Bridge is about to pass an unwanted milestone, with the district’s 5h coronavirus case likely to be recorded in the next day.

So far 4998 cases have been reported in Murray Bridge, and 1029 in the Coorong district, according to SA Health – almost all of them since the current outbreak began in December.

However, growth in infection numbers has slowed a bit this week – there were 293 new cases in Murray Bridge and 50 in the Coorong.

The local vaccination rate has not significantly changed despite a current SA Health advertising campaign which warns that “double vaxxed is not fully vaxxed”.

May 5

Another 429 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Murray Bridge this week, and 81 in the Coorong, according to SA Health.

The local vaccination rate is steady: 2594 Murray Bridge residents remain unvaccinated, but at the other end of the spectrum, almost 70 per cent of those who are eligible have received a booster dose.

Meanwhile, a reminder about the new rules for close contacts: you no longer need to isolate, but you do need to mask up in public for seven days and there are certain places you won’t be allowed to go for up to two weeks.

• More information: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/covidpositive.

April 28

Another 640 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Murray Bridge over the past fortnight, and 178 in the Coorong district, according to SA Health.

The pandemic is showing no signs of abating locally, even as state authorities have removed most mask mandates and isolation requirements.

A total of 4276 Murray Bridge residents, almost one in five, has been infected since November.

There have been 898 cases in the Coorong.

April 21

It is unclear how many new cases of COVID-19 have been reported locally during the past week.

SA Health’s heat map does not appear to have been updated since last week.

However, almost 70 per cent of Murray Bridge locals have now received a booster dose of COVID vaccine, according to the latest Department of Health statistics.

That figure does not account for the several thousand locals who have had COVID in the past three months and may not yet need a booster dose.

April 14

Another 374 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Murray Bridge during the past week.

About one in six residents has now been infected since South Australia’s borders reopened last November.

Another 83 cases have been reported in the Corong, too.

But the number of active cases in the region has fallen slightly, as more people have recovered than been infected this week.

It remains to be seen whether that will change after this Friday, when South Australians will no longer have to wear masks in most settings.

More information about the new mask rules will become available from SA Police and/or SA Health on Thursday night or Friday morning.

• Current activity restrictions: www.covid-19.sa.gov.au.

April 7

COVID-19 is spreading faster than ever in the Coorong district, with 129 new cases reported there in the past seven days.

Another 397 cases have been reported in the Murray Bridge district, too, according to SA Health.

There are currently 409 active cases in Murray Bridge and 126 in the Coorong – that’s slightly more than last week – plus many more people in quarantine at home.

Schools are continuing to grapple with staff and student absences as the end of term one nears, and workplaces are juggling rosters.

Meanwhile, 14.1 per cent of Murray Bridge residents over the age of 15 remain unvaccinated against COVID-19, while another 15.9% are yet to get a booster shot, according to the federal Department of Health.

Vulnerable people are now eligible to receive a fourth, “winter” vaccination dose, as SA Health is calling it, at GPs, pharmacies and the Murray Bridge vaccination clinic.

The extra dose is available to:

• People aged 65 and over
• Residents of aged or disability care facilities
• Severely immuno-compromised people aged 16 and over
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged 50 and over

Fourth doses should be given at least four months after a booster dose or COVID-19 infection.

• Book a vaccination appointment: www.sahealth.gov.au/covidvaccine.

March 31

Four hundred and fifty new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge district in the past week as the present outbreak grips schools and families.

Another 111 new cases have been reported in the Coorong district.

At the time of writing, there were 410 active cases in Murray Bridge and 98 in the Coorong, according to SA Health.

March 24

COVID-19 case numbers are surging in the Murraylands as a new sub-variant of the virus takes hold.

The BA2 sub-variant is even more transmissible than the omicron strain of the coronavirus from which it mutated.

As a result, 266 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the Murray Bridge district during the past week, and 93 in the Coorong.

There have now been almost 2500 cases in Murray Bridge in the past four months.

Exactly two thirds of Murray Bridge residents have received a booster vaccination against COVID-19, according to the latest Department of Health data, along with 70.3% of Coorong residents.

March 17

The spread of COVID-19 has really slowed in the Murraylands during the past week.

Just 33 new cases have been reported in the Murray Bridge district over the past seven days, and one in the Coorong.

Fewer than 200 active cases are currently present across both districts, according to SA Health.

Those cases will now be able to exit quarantine three days sooner, of course, after a rule change which took effect on Sunday: it’s now seven days you have to spend in isolation after you test positive, rather than 10, so long as your symptoms go away.

People who are required to quarantine on Saturday, state election day, will still be able to vote – they can register with the Electoral Commission of South Australia to pick up a postal voting pack from the nearest RAT or PCR testing site.

Meanwhile, we can’t be sure how many booster doses of vaccine have been given locally in the past week.

According to the federal Department of Health, the percentage of people who have received a third dose has fallen … so we might wait another week for some more reliable numbers.

• Register for a postal voting pack if you’ll be in quarantine on Saturday: www.ecsa.sa.gov.au.
• More information about quarantine requirements: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.

March 10

Almost seven out of 10 Murray Bridge residents have received booster vaccinations against COVID-19, new Department of Health data shows.

The federal government has updated its records to show how many people have received three doses of vaccine.

Murray Bridge lags behind many other South Australian districts, with 68.1 per cent of people vaccinated and boosted, but still ranks ahead of 14 other local government areas.

More than 70 per cent of Coorong residents are triple-vaxxed.

Meanwhile, about 200 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge and Coorong districts over the past fortnight.

There are 186 active cases in the Murray Bridge district, according to SA Health, and just 14 in the Coorong.

March 1

We’ve settled into a new normal: the COVID-19 vaccination rate has stabilised and the local infection rate has peaked, at least as far as the omicron wave goes.

With that in mind, Murray Bridge News will publish these COVID updates weekly, rather than daily, from now on.

You should be able to find any information you need in the links below, but if you’re aware of any COVID-related issues which need covering in our region, you can email managing editor Peri Strathearn at peri@murraybridge.news.

• Heat map of local case numbers: www.covid-19.sa.gov.au.
• Vaccination statistics for each local government area: www.health.gov.au.
• Updates from the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network: www.facebook.com/RMCLHN.

February 28

SA Health’s heat map of active cases has not been updated over the weekend – it’s still showing 206 in the Murray Bridge district and 26 in the Coorong.

February 25

Eighteen new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge district today, bringing the total there to 206; and four in the Coorong, for a total of 26.

If you haven’t already been vaccinated, SA Health will offer food and giveaways at the Murray Bridge vaccination clinic on Swanport Road this Saturday and Sunday – see February 23 below.

And some restrictions will ease on Monday, the state government has announced, for hospitality venues and events.

February 24

COVID-19 continues to spread at a steady rate in the Murraylands.

Today 40 new cases were reported in Murray Bridge, and five in the Coorong.

There are 237 active cases across the two districts.

February 23

Adelaide Fringe tickets, food and other giveaways will be on offer for anyone who gets vaccinated against COVID-19 at the Murray Bridge vaccination clinic this weekend.

No bookings will be needed at the clinic, at 108 Swanport Road, between 8am and 3pm on Saturday and Sunday.

Pfizer vaccinations will be available to anyone aged five and up, with children aged 15 and under to be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Meanwhile, just 31 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge district over the past two days, bringing the total number of active local cases to 206.

In the Coorong district, just one new case has been reported, for a total of 21.

• More information about vaccination: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/covidvaccine.

February 22

Are you a close contact, and in need of a rapid antigen test?

Get in early if you plan on picking one up in Murray Bridge or Tailem Bend on Wednesday or Thursday.

SA Health’s RAT collection points will be closed during the hottest parts of the next two days – Murray Bridge’s will only open from 8-11am, and Tailem Bend’s from 6.30-11am.

Meanwhile, fewer than 20 people in the Murray Bridge district have received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccine during the past week, according to the latest Department of Health data.

So, more or less, everyone who plans to get vaccinated has done so.

Eighty-five per cent of people in Murray Bridge have received at least one dose of vaccine, and 90.3% of Coorong residents; the state average is 94.3%.

• More information about RATs and collection points: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.

February 21

Over the weekend:

• 67 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Murray Bridge
• 12 new cases were reported in the Coorong district

However, the total number of active cases in our region has continued to fall, to 203 in Murray Bridge and 23 in the Coorong.

February 18

The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network has apologised to a Murray Bridge woman whose daughter was given a COVID-19 vaccine without her consent.

The girl was allegedly taken to the vaccination clinic by her stepmother – click here to read the whole story.

Meanwhile, 30 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge district today, and two in the Coorong.

There are currently 214 active cases in Murray Bridge, according to SA Health’s heat map.

Finally, all residents of Resthaven Murray Bridge have now been cleared of COVID-19 after a minor outbreak at the nursing home late last month.

However, the site will still be considered an exposure site for a while longer after a staff member recently tested positive.

• More information about COVID-19 at Resthaven: www.resthaven.asn.au/resthaven-murray-bridge-update.

February 17

We’re about to get a new weapon in the fight against COVID-19.

The Novavax vaccine will become available in South Australia next Wednesday, initially at three vaccination clinics in Adelaide, then from selected GPs and pharmacies around the state.

The new vaccine works in a different way to the Pfizer, AstraZenaca and Moderna vaccines, but has been shown to be similarly safe, and to offer 90 per cent protection against COVID-19 symptoms.

So far it has only been approved for use in adults, and only for the initial two doses, not boosters.

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier hoped it would encourage unvaccinated South Australians to consider taking the step.

“It is important that South Australians are comfortable with the vaccine they receive, so it is wonderful that they can now choose between a number of different vaccines,” she said.

“If this is the vaccine of your choice, please make an appointment as soon as they become available.”

Forty-five new COVID cases were reported in Murray Bridge today, and three in the Coorong.

• More information about the Novavax vaccine: theconversation.com.
• Book a vaccination appointment: covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au/booking.

February 16

New COVID-19 cases are becoming rarer in Murray Bridge at the moment, despite school having gone back.

Just 68 local cases have been reported since last Friday, or about 14 per day.

In the Coorong district, 12 new cases have been reported in the same period.

There are now 208 active cases in the Murray Bridge district, and 27 in the Coorong.

February 15

Just 56 Murray Bridge residents have been vaccinated against COVID-19 in the past week, according to the federal Department of Health.

The local vaccination rate reached 84.9 per cent this week, or 81.9 per cent double-vaccinated.

The department does not record booster vaccination status.

That leaves 2818 locals over the age of 16 who have opted not to be vaccinated.

Meanwhile, patients staying at the Murray Bridge and Tailem Bend hospitals - or anywhere else in the Riverland, Mallee and Coorong - will be able to have visitors from now on as the local health network loosens its COVID-19 restrictions.

One visitor will be allowed per patient, per day, between 1 and 3pm.

February 14

Another 1027 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in South Australia.

But there’s not much else to report today – SA Health’s heat map has not been updated since Friday.

February 11

If you’re planning on hosting a party any time soon, good news.

As of today, up to 50 people can gather at anyone’s home under a relaxation of South Australia’s COVID restrictions.

Hospitality capacity limits have gone up, too, to three per four square metres outdoors, with people allowed to stand up and drink; and so have the limits for gym, now one person per four square metres.

Meanwhile, 55 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Murray Bridge today, though the number of active local cases has fallen to 247.

Five new cases have been reported in the Coorong district, for a total of 32.

Finally, the Tailem Bend testing site will be shut from 12.30pm on Sunday, and the Murray Bridge RAT collection point will shut at 11am, due to the hot forecast.

February 10

Today’s COVID-19 case numbers:

• 31 new cases in Murray Bridge, for an active total of 249
• Two new cases in the Coorong, for a total of 39
• 1639 new cases statewide, for a total of 14,528

February 9

The number of COVID-19 cases in the Murraylands continues to fall as people recover from their infections.

Thirty-one new cases have been reported locally over the past two days, 28 in Murray Bridge and three in the Coorong district.

There are now 266 active cases in Murray Bridge and 46 in the Coorong.

February 8

Murray Bridge’s vaccination rate hasn’t really picked up in the past week, the latest Department of Health data shows.

About 15 per cent of locals aged 16 and over remain unvaccinated against COVID-19.

However, there is no way to draw an easy comparison with last week’s numbers - the department had previously been counting vaccinations among people aged 15 and over, based on 2019 population figures.

Meanwhile, SA Health hadn’t updated their heat map by 5pm today, so we’ll check back in on case numbers tomorrow.

February 7

The COVID-19 testing site at Tailem Bend has been closed for the hottest parts of today and tomorrow, from 11am to 6pm, due to the weather forecast.

If you’re looking for an alternative, the next closest testing site is at 22 Druids Avenue, Mount Barker; and testing appointments are available at the Murray Bridge respiratory clinic and at some GPs.

Testing requirements for close contacts were changed yesterday, too – see the below information from SA Health.

Anyway, the number of active COVID cases in the Murraylands continues to fall.

Seventy new cases were reported in the Murray Bridge district over the weekend, and five in the Coorong., according to SA Health’s heat map.

However, the number of active cases has fallen to 267 in Murray Bridge and 55 in the Coorong, both the lowest recorded in about a month.

• Book a PCR test at Murray Bridge respiratory clinic: www.hotdoc.com.au.

February 4

Tailem Bend District Hospital’s emergency department will reopen on Monday morning, the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network has announced.

The department closed in April 2020 to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission to the aged care home down the hall.

Health Minister Stephen Wade insisted at the time that he would not use COVID as an excuse to close the emergency department for good.

Strict measures will now be put in place to protect elderly residents.

Anyone in need of emergency assistance should phone 000.

Meanwhile, some late mail from SA Health this evening – the Woolshed, on Adelaide’s Hindley Street, is among several public COVID-19 exposure sites which have just been listed.

Finally, just two new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Coorong district today, and 25 in Murray Bridge.

The total number of active cases in each district has fallen to 95 and 309, respectively.

February 3

Twenty-three new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge district today, bringing the total to 347.

Another nine cases have popped up in the Coorong, for a total of 104.

Almost 1300 people have now been infected across the two districts since the current outbreak began on Christmas Day.

Meanwhile, 16- and 17-year-olds will be eligible to receive a booster vaccine if they received a second dose at least three months ago, starting today, Premier Steven Marshall has announced.

February 2

Another 129 cases of COVID-19 have been reported in the Murray Bridge district in the past two days.

However, the number of active local cases has fallen to 361 as the peak of a week or two ago passes into our rear view mirror.

There have been 33 new cases reported in the Coorong today, bringing the total there to 98.

February 1

It’s embarassing that Murray Bridge has such a low COVID-19 vaccination rate, Mayor Brenton Lewis says.

More than 14 per cent of locals remain unvaccinated against COVID-19, according to the latest Department of Health data.

That puts Murray Bridge 381st among 410 local government areas around Australia for which data is available.

That was a bad look, Mr Lewis said, especially after Murray Bridge was the site of the first AstraZeneca vaccination anywhere in Australia last March.

COVID-19 vaccination FAQs311KB ∙ PDF fileDownloadDownload

“If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, it’s not too late – get out there and do the right thing,” he said at a council meeting on Monday night.

“Don’t just think of yourself; think of the wider community.

“We need to get back to a functional society … there are a lot of businesses suffering, particularly in hospitality.”

• Book a vaccination appointment: Contact your GP or pharmacy, or find a vaccination clinic at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.

January 31

We’ve entered a brave new world, as far as this pandemic goes: QR codes are no longer required at shops, and SA Health mostly seems to have stopped keeping track of public exposure sites.

The coronavirus is still spreading in our community, though.

There were 29 new cases in Murray Bridge over the weekend, and four in the Coorong district.

One reader tells Murray Bridge News she and her husband both had COVID-19 a few weeks ago: “he had a mild head cold for a few days and I had no symptoms at all”.

“At the time we were both double vaxxed, so thankful for the mild symptoms.”

Another reader who had the virus said it had left her feeling tired, but “I’ve had worse colds than this”.

Another 1500 cases were reported across South Australia today, and three deaths.

January 28

A Murray Bridge nursing home has effectively placed some of its residents in lockdown while it deals with a COVID-19 outbreak.

Four Resthaven residents tested positive to the virus back on January 22, and a number of residents in nearby rooms have had to stay put since then.

However, from today, most residents have been allowed to move around the nursing home again, and to receive visitors.

Meanwhile, Murray Bridge has passed 500 active COVID-19 cases today, meaning about one in 50 locals is currently infected.

How does that compare?

In South Australia about one in 17 people has been infected since the pandemic began; heck, in the United States the number is more than one in five, so we don’t have it that bad.

Still, we don’t know whether any of the 105 South Australians who have died of COVID-19 came from our region, or how many may endure lingering effects.

So, help Murray Bridge News fill the information gap: if you’ve had COVID-19, what has your experience been like?

• Have your say: Email peri@murraybridge.news.
• More information about the Resthaven outbreak: www.resthaven.asn.au/resthaven-murray-bridge-update.

January 27

Still no new numbers today - Murray Bridge News is awaiting more information from SA Health.

January 26

Another 2401 cases of COVID-19 have been reported across the state, but SA Health’s heat map doesn’t have any updated case numbers for our district today.

The department’s website has stopped bothering to show exposure sites in the past couple of days, too.

At least the virus outbreak at Mobilong Prison is all but over – just nine cases were left in the prison population at last count.

January 25

Murray Bridge is still lagging behind the rest of South Australia when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations.

The latest federal Department of Health data, published yesterday, shows that 85.2 per cent of Murray Bridge residents have had at least one dose of vaccine.

The only districts with a lower vaccination rate are Mid Murray and Light, both with 80.8%, followed by Mount Remarkable, Karoonda East Murray and Goyder.

Meanwhile, 67 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Murray Bridge today, bringing the active total to 489; and six in the Coorong, for a total of 47.

The current outbreak continues to peak across South Australia as a whole – the state set a new record for 2022 with fewer than 2000 new cases today.

January 24

The number of active COVID-19 cases in Murray Bridge is falling, suggesting the peak of the current wave of infection may be upon us.

Forty-seven new cases were reported in the district today, and seven in the Coorong.

However, SA Health reported that 54 cases had become inactive across the two districts.

January 23

Twenty-three new COVID cases have been reported in the Murray Bridge district today.

The number of active cases has fallen to 432, though, as more people are getting better than getting sick.

Things are improving at Mobilong Prison, too, where there were just 29 remaining cases among inmates by Friday night.

In the Coorong there are four new cases today, for an active total of 38.

There were only a touch over 2000 new cases in South Australia today.

January 22

The latest case numbers:

• 105 new active COVID cases in Murray Bridge, for a total of 453
• Seven in the Coorong, for a total of 41

Those are this evening’s numbers, and include two days’ worth of data – SA Health’s heat map updated while this post was being written.

January 21

Here’s today’s COVID-19 numbers, which should be much more accurate than they were previously:

• 28 new cases in Murray Bridge, for a total of 386 active cases
• Six fewer cases at Mobilong Prison as of Wednesday night, for a total of 45
• Three in the Coorong, for a total of 40

See yesterday’s entry, below, for more info about the changes SA Health has made to its heat map in response to an enquiry from Murray Bridge News.

January 20

SA Health has fixed a problem with its website which prevented South Australians from getting accurate data about local COVID-19 cases.

Murray Bridge News pointed out to the department yesterday that its heat map of active cases did not appear to be updating as people recovered from COVID infections.

A spokeswoman promised to look into the issue.

The map now shows 448 fewer active cases in the Murray Bridge district, and 50 fewer in the Coorong.

The number of active cases in each district is now 358 and 37, respectively.

January 19

A COVID-19 outbreak at Mobilong Prison is subsiding.

Just 54 inmates and five staff members were still being treated as COVID-positive by Monday night, the Department for Correctional Services reports.

Meanwhile, Premier Steven Marshall has announced that anyone who is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will now be able to get a booster shot three months after their last dose, down from two.

Nearly 60 per cent of eligible South Australians have received a booster, something chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said would reduce the number of local case numbers, hospitalisations and deaths.

• Book a vaccination appointment: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.

January 18

About 100 individuals and families have come through Murray Bridge’s rapid antigen test collection point on its first morning of operation.

Close contacts of known COVID-19 cases are eligible to pick up two free RATs from the collection point at Murray Bridge Showground, which is now open from 8am to 6pm every day.

Anyone planning to do so must register at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au, and remain in their car and wear a mask when they arrive.

Meanwhile, the COVID-19 outbreak at Mobilong Prison is subsiding – there are now just 71 active cases among inmates, down from more than 200 a week ago.

Forty-four new cases were reported in Murray Bridge today, for a total of 630; and two in the Coorong, for a total of 87.

• More information about who is considered a close contact: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.

January 17

A rapid antigen test collection point will open at Murray Bridge Showground tomorrow morning to help slow the spread of COVID-19 in the Murraylands.

Close contacts of known COVID cases will be eligible to pick up two free RATs from the collection point.

It is likely to operate from 8am to 6pm every day, starting Tuesday, though its exact operating hours are still being finalised.

Visitors will enter via the gates closest to the basketball stadium and exit via the main gates.

Most importantly, anyone planning to visit the site should complete an online registration form before they arrive.

Forms, and more information, are available at www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.

Meanwhile, Murray Bridge has passed an unfortunate milestone: there have now been more cases locally in the past month than there were in South Australia during 2020.

A total of 586 were listed as active today, including 66 new cases; and 11 new cases were reported in the Coorong, bringing the total there to 85.

It is not clear whether the Murray Bridge total accounts for the fact that at least 70 inmates at Mobilong Prison have recovered after contracting the virus.

The local total includes just four inactive cases.

Finally, the latest vaccination stats show more than 2800 Murray Bridge residents are yet to receive even one dose of COVID-19 vaccine.

The district’s single-dose vaccination rate is just 84.7 per cent.

About 650 people are unvaccinated in the Coorong district.

• Register for a free RAT: forms.sa.gov.au.

January 16

Is the current COVID outbreak peaking in the Murraylands?

Twenty-three new cases have been reported in Murray Bridge today, none in the Coorong and 3450 across South Australia.

On a lighter note, the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network is looking for staff to help it continue the fight against COVID-19, including in nursing and administrative support roles.

• More information: bit.ly/JoinRMCLHN.

January 15

SA Health’s COVID-19 heat map does not appear to have been updated today.

However, there’s good news from Mobilong: the number of active cases at the prison has dropped below 200.

By midnight on Thursday, the last time a count was published, 196 inmates and nine staff were infected, a reduction of about 50.

That suggests there are about 300 cases in the Murray Bridge community.

January 14

A rapid antigen test collection point will be set up in Murray Bridge within the next 10 days, the state government has promised.

Free RATs will be made available to close contacts of known COVID-19 cases, such as people living in the same household, or people who spent more than 15 minutes with the infected person without a mask.

Anyone in need of a free RAT will have to register beforehand.

Meanwhile, the virus’ spread is continuing in Murray Bridge, where 42 new cases were reported today, and the Coorong, where there were two more.

However, Premier Steven Marshall said the omicron outbreak was projected to peak during the next 11 days, with a maximum of 6000 to 10,000 new cases per day in South Australia.

“I don’t want to see one restriction in place for longer than it has to be,” he said.

“I thank every single South Australian who has continued to make sacrifices at a time where all we wanted to do was celebrate with family and friends.

“These sacrifices have been instrumental in keeping our state safe and strong.”

• Register for a free RAT: forms.sa.gov.au.
• More information about who is considered a close contact: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.
• More information about what to do if you or someone in your household tests positive to COVID-19: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/covidpositive.

January 13

Parents, here’s the plan for the start of the school year on Wednesday, February 2, announced this afternoon:

• Reception and year one students will start primary school in person
• Year seven, eight and 12 students will start high school in person
• Children of essential workers will start the school year in person
• Kindy kids will also be able to attend in person, as planned

All other students will start the year with online learning for at least two weeks.

Meanwhile, there are 460 active cases of COVID-19 in Murray Bridge at the moment, including 242 at Mobilong Prison and more than 200 in the general community.

The overall number is up by 47 since yesterday, even though the number of positives at the prison has fallen by 24 since Sunday.

The Coorong district also recorded seven new cases today.

• More information about the return to school: www.premier.sa.gov.au.

January 12

Almost one in 50 residents of the Murray Bridge district has tested positive to COVID-19 since Christmas.

There are now 413 active cases locally, according to today’s SA Health figures.

That’s 14 more than yesterday, although more than half are inmates at Mobilong Prison.

One new case has also been reported in the Coorong overnight.

No patients have needed to be treated at the Murray Bridge or Tailem Bend hospitals just yet, SA Health says.

About one in every 100 South Australian patients has received hospital treatment in Adelaide.

This morning, Premier Steven Marshall announced a plan for extra COVID beds at the Flinders Medical Centre and Lyall McEwin Hospital.

He’s reportedly about to make it mandatory for people to report positive RAT results, too ... if you can find a test, that is.

• Get a COVID test: Purchase a rapid antigen test at a supermarket or pharmacy when available, visit the Tailem Bend testing site or go to www.sahealth.sa.gov.au.
• Report a positive RAT result: forms.sa.gov.au.

January 11

More than half of the inmates at Mobilong Prison have now tested positive to COVID-19, the Department for Correctional Services has announced.

A total of 266 have tested positive to the virus, along with seven staff.

However, the current outbreak has slowed a little on today’s numbers, both locally and across South Australia.

Only 14 new cases were reported in Murray Bridge today, five in the Coorong district, and 2921 statewide.

Meanwhile, nearly half of the South Australians who are eligible have now received a booster vaccine for COVID-19, including federal MP Tony Pasin, pictured above.

Premier Steven Marshall encouraged everyone to protect their own health, and that of their friends and family, by booking in to get one.

• Book a vaccination appointment: covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov.au.

January 10

Children aged 5-11 are eligible to get vaccinated at clinics, GPs and pharmacists from today.

Chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier said the vaccine was safe and effective at preventing serious illness; she encouraged all parents to book an appointment.

“Parents, carers and guardians can be reassured that by vaccinating their children against COVID-19 they have done everything possible to keep their child safe from this virus, particularly with emergence of the new Omicron variant,” she said in a statement this morning.

“Children will receive two doses of the vaccine, eight weeks apart, with each dose for children one third of the dose for people aged 12 years and over.”

Frequently asked questions: parents/legal guardians of children aged 5-11160KB ∙ PDF fileDownloadDownload

Among people aged 15 and over in Murray Bridge, 79.9 per cent have received two does of COVID vaccine, and another 4.2% have received one dose.

That means almost 3000 locals are still unvaccinated, along with almost 500 more in the Coorong.

Meanwhile, SA Health has confirmed that there were issues with its heat map over the weekend which kept us from knowing how many COVID cases there were locally.

Now that the problem has been fixed, we can see today’s numbers:

• 385 active cases in Murray Bridge, 102 more than Friday
• 59 in the Coorong district, 21 more than Friday

Most of those Murray Bridge cases are likely to be at Mobilong Prison, though Corrections haven’t updated their numbers since Thursday night.

No new public exposure sites have been listed locally, and according to our Prime Minister, we might not see many more of them – “there are no exposure sites any more,” Scott Morrison told journalists this morning.

• More information about vaccination for children: www.sahealth.sa.gov.au/covidvaccinechildren.
• More vaccination statistics: www.health.gov.au.

January 9

Something odd seems to be going on with SA Health’s heat map.

It’s reporting 15 active COVID cases in the Murray Bridge district, 268 fewer than at last count; and 339 inactive cases, up from just four a couple of days ago.

We’ll see if we can find out what’s up with that.

Meanwhile, children aged five and up will become eligible to get vaccinated tomorrow.

The state opposition is pushing for vaccination clinics to be set up at schools before the holidays end.

See January 6 for details about the Anytime Fitness exposure site, still the only one in the Murraylands.

January 8

Perhaps we got ahead of ourselves yesterday - the numbers haven’t changed since our last update.

However, it’s worth noting that 4274 new cases were reported in South Australia today; and that the Premier, Opposition Leader and police commissioner have all tested positive in recent days.

January 7

Today’s figures, manually separated by Murray Bridge News:

• 81 active cases in the Murray Bridge community
• 202 at Mobilong Prison
• 38 in the Coorong district

That’s according to SA Health’s heat map and Corrections’ overnight total.

Scroll down for info about the public exposure site at Anytime Fitness, announced last night.

January 6

Murray Bridge gym Anytime Fitness has been identified as a possible COVID-19 exposure site.

Anyone who visited the gym at the following times should follow SA Health’s advice for close contacts, quarantining alone until seven days have passed since their last possible exposure and seeking a PCR test as soon as possible:

• 5-6pm on Wednesday, December 29
• 5-6pm on Thursday, December 30
• 5-6pm on Friday, December 31
• 5-6pm on Saturday, January 1

Anyone who visited the gym at any other time should monitor for symptoms and get tested if any develop.

The exposure site is the first in Murray Bridge to be publicly identified by SA Health since the beginning of the pandemic.

Meanwhile, Mobilong Prison is in lockdown as staff try to contain a major COVID outbreak.

As of Tuesday night, 167 inmates and two staff members have tested positive at the prison, according to the Department for Correctional Services.

The prison has capacity for 472 inmates.

Sixty-five of those cases were recorded on Tuesday, January 4.

The figures cast the Murray Bridge outbreak - now at 212 cases, up 80 from yesterday - in a new light.

Only about 50 people may, in fact, have the coronavirus in the general community.

We’re at 35 cases in the Coorong now, two more than yesterday.

Anyone who has tested positive, or businesses which have been exposed, can email peri@murraybridge.news to have information that might help others included in this blog.

January 5

An extra 14 COVID cases have been reported in the Murray Bridge district in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 132.

A total of 44 local people have recovered.

In the Coorong, there are now 33 active cases, up nine from yesterday.

More than 3500 new infections were reported around the state.

January 4

The Murray Bridge branch of NAB was exposed to COVID-19 on Thursday, December 30 and Friday, December 31, the bank has reported.

Anyone who visited the branch on Bridge Street between 9.30am and 3.30pm on either the 30th or the 31st should monitor for symptoms and get tested if any appear.

The announcement was unusual for recent exposures in the Murraylands, news of which has more often been spread by rumour.

Murray Bridge News stands ready to help any other local businesses which can help with the fight against COVID-19 by spreading the word about possible exposure sites.

Leave a comment on the Murray Bridge News Facebook page or email peri@murraybridge.news if you have information that may help others.

Meanwhile, there are now 118 active COVID cases in the Murray Bridge district and 24 in the Coorong.

A total of 43 cases have become inactive in Murray Bridge, which hopefully indicates that a number of people infected last month have returned to health.

The first vaccination stats of the year are out, too – they show Murray Bridge is only about 220 doses away from hitting the 80 per cent double-dosed benchmark.

That was, if you recall, the state government’s target for the state borders’ reopening way back on November 23.

January 3

We’ve learned something new about Murray Bridge’s apparent COVID-19 outbreak: as many as half of the 101 active cases now listed locally may be at Mobilong Prison.

Most of the 60 or so cases in South Australia’s prison system are at Mobilong, according to The Advertiser.

That casts a new light on the level of risk elsewhere in Murray Bridge.

There are now 20 active cases in the Coorong district, one more than yesterday.

SA Health also updated its list of public exposure sites overnight, but none were noted in the Murraylands.

January 2

The number of active COVID-19 cases reported in Murray Bridge has almost doubled today, to 83.

Six more cases have appeared in the Coorong district, bringing the total there to 19.

As has become usual, SA Health has not announced any new public exposure sites, in our region or anywhere else.

The department is unsure about the origin of almost all of the 2298 cases reported in South Australia today.

January 1

Happy new year!

At the time of writing, 2022 has not brought with it any new COVID cases or public exposure sites.

December 31

Murray Bridge’s New Year’s Eve celebrations will go ahead tonight despite hot weather and steadily rising COVID cases.

Eleven new cases in Murray Bridge, and one in the Coorong, were among 2093 reported by SA Health today.

Two elderly South Australians who had tested positive to the virus have died in the past 24 hours.

SA Health has changed a rule since yesterday, too: anyone deemed a close contact of a COVID case will now need to quarantine for just seven days, regardless of their vaccination status.

December 30

Today’s numbers:

• Nine new active cases in Murray Bridge, for a total of 38
• Two new cases in the Coorong, for a total of 12
• Still no public exposure sites

Demand for vaccines is rising – the Murray Bridge vaccination clinic had to be closed to walk-ins yesterday afternoon, but is now accepting them again.

Meanwhile, Monarto Safari Park has turned to a disinfectant spray, pictured, to keep its tour buses free of COVID-19.

The Nanocyn spray, produced by US company Microsafe, is also used at police stations and by the Royal Flying Doctors.

December 29

Twelve new cases of COVID-19 have appeared in the Murray Bridge district on SA Health’s heat map today, bringing the total number of active cases to 29.

Four new cases have been reported in the Coorong district, bringing the total there to 10.

Still, Murray Bridge’s New Year’s Eve event is still scheduled to go ahead at this stage, according to the council, despite chief public health officer Nicola Spurrier’s plea for us all to have a quiet one.

Almost 1500 cases were reported across the state today.

SA Health has anyone who experiences any COVID-19 symptoms to get tested right away.

People with symptoms, and close contacts of known cases, will be prioritised for PCR testing – the conventional “brain tickle” – from now on.

SA Police flat-out said today that anyone looking for a pre-travel test would be turned away, and would have to find a rapid antigen test at a supermarket or pharmacy instead.

How quickly things are changing at the moment – the do-it-yourself tests were prohibited until just six days ago.

There have still been no public exposure sites reported anywhere in the Murraylands during the current wave.

December 28

Nothing much to report today – no new cases or public exposure sites have been listed in the Murraylands.

There were 995 new cases in South Australia today.

December 27

We’re up to 17 active cases of COVID-19 in the Murray Bridge district today, according to SA Health’s heat map, up from four.

There are now six in the Coorong district, up by two.

I’m not sure what time of day the map is updated – I’ll try to find out.

Vaccination data is due out today, too, but I haven’t seen it yet.

Murray Bridge still hadn’t hit 80 per cent double vaccination at last count.

December 26

A total of 774 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported in South Australia on Boxing Day.

But none is in the Murray Bridge or Coorong districts.

No public exposure sites have been reported yet, either, though SA Health had not published today’s list at the time of writing.

A quick note: if you’re looking for one of those new rapid antigen tests, they can be hard to find in shops at the moment.

If you need to travel to the testing site at Tailem Bend instead, attendants say you’ll be better off trying later in the evening or early in the morning.

Wait times were around three to four hours in the middle of this afternoon.

December 25

Four cases of COVID-19 have been identified in the Murray Bridge district on Christmas Day, and three new ones in the Coorong district.

SA Health has also identified cases in every surrounding district, including Karoonda East Murray for the first time.

The department’s heat map of statewide cases does not specify which town they have been reported in, or whether those infected are suffering symptoms.

A total of 634 new cases were reported in South Australia on Christmas Day, slightly fewer than on Christmas Eve.

The good news?

Only 12 of the 2469 cases currently active in the state have needed to be taken to hospital.

SA Health had not issued alerts about any public exposure sites in the Murraylands by 3pm on Christmas Day, though locals have been forced into quarantine after being exposed in private settings.

December 24

Among the 688 new cases reported by SA Health today is one in the Coorong district.

It’s the first recorded there since the pandemic began.

• More information: www.covid-19.sa.gov.au.

Clarification: This post was updated on November 29, 2022 to reflect the fact that the Tailem Bend PCR testing site had closed several weeks earlier. Weekly case numbers between October 14 and December 9, 2022 may be slightly out due to a misreading of SA Heath’s data.

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