Add Category
A COVID-positive child under the age of two has died in South Australia.
Key points:
- A child under the age of two who was COVID-positive has died
- South Australia has recorded 1,374 new cases of COVID-19
- There are still 37 patients in hospital, including four in intensive care
Premier Steven Marshall said the case will be referred to the coroner, and an investigation will determine whether COVID-19 was the cause of death.
The state has recorded 1,374 new positive cases overnight, a slight reduction on yesterday's numbers.
Mr Marshall said 37 COVID-19 patients remained in hospital, including four people in intensive care.
The child is the sixth person with COVID-19 to die in SA since the start of the pandemic.
A 94 year-old woman with the virus died in Adelaide on Sunday.
The Premier Steven Marshall would not confirm whether the child had been in hospital.
"This child was COVID-positive, but the cause of death hasn't been determined yet," he said.
"I've been asked by Professor Nicola Spurrier to narrow my comments.
"The family is obviously in a great deal of distress at the moment."
New hospital visitor limits cause heartache
South Australians have expressed frustration and sadness as hospitals limit visitor numbers as the state's COVID-19 case numbers continue to grow.
Under new rules introduced at the Women's and Children's Hospital, patients can only have one visitor per day.
One person is permitted to be with a woman in labour and in the postnatal ward.
Visitors under 18 are not allowed at the hospital, except for babies under one year.
Mia Fulgencio and her husband have been coming to terms with the new rules, which means they cannot visit their seven-month-old daughter together.
"It's only been two days but it's already hard," Ms Fulgencio said.
"I don't see him, he doesn't see his daughter.
Ms Fulgencio said it was difficult not having her husband at the hospital for support.
"It's his journey too, not just mine and my daughter's, it's our family's journey," she said.
"It's just hard … I'm ringing him on the phone telling him, 'This is what the doctors said'.
"He may have questions for the doctors that I don't know, but he obviously can't talk to the doctors because he's not allowed in.
"It's hard also for parents that may not have the family support to be able to look after other siblings … because they're not allowed to visit.
"It's just a chain reaction. It's too much."
Kelly Stephens' five-month-old daughter has been in hospital since birth.
Ms Stephens said the new restrictions at the Women's and Children's Hospital were "throwing us a curve ball".
"On Christmas Day, I had to apply for an exemption for my son, my daughter's father, and myself to be by her bedside all together," she said.
"And, now, with the restrictions in place for one visitor per day, we're having to take split shifts in seeing her."
Ms Stephens said she was grateful her daughter was "too young to understand" what was happening, but described the rules as "ridiculous and contradictory."
"With these rules just getting stricter and stricter it's going to be absolute chaos."
The Royal Adelaide and Queen Elizabeth hospitals have banned visitors altogether for adult patients, except for compassionate reasons or when they are critical to care.
Visitors banned at prisons
South Australian prisoners will not be allowed to have visitors until at least January 23, under new COVID-19 restrictions.
The Department of Correctional Services said it would continue to facilitate virtual visits where possible.
It said the decision was not made lightly and was a precautionary response to the rising COVID-19 cases in the South Australian community.
Under the rules, prisoners will be allowed one professional visitor, who must be vaccinated.
The department said the restrictions were set to be reviewed on January 24.
Loading form...