However, the number of people in hospital yesterday dropped from 205 to 192.
Of those in hospital with the virus, 14 are in intensive care and three people are on a ventilator.
There are 14,119 active cases across the state.
SA Health said that 10,598 people received a PCR test in South Australia on Tuesday – a 20.3 per cent increase on the previous 24 hours.
The latest spike in cases comes ahead of a meeting of the COVID-Ready Committee today.
Premier Steven Marshall, who chairs the committee, flagged yesterday that further restrictions could be eased after the meeting although was coy on whether an announcement would be made on Thursday.
“Let’s wait to see what we get through that meeting,” he told reporters yesterday.
“Last time we did announce those changes on the Thursday but let’s see how far we get.
“The hospital capacity is fine at the moment … we have been very significantly reducing restrictions over the last four or five weeks and that’s going to continue come tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, the number of school students isolating – either infected with COVID or as contacts of cases – have been creeping up since all year levels returned to classrooms on February 14.
Latest data from the Education Department shows that on Monday and Tuesday this week, 1.6 per cent of public school students were away from school for COVID-related reasons, up from 1.4 per cent on Friday and 0.7 per cent at the start of Week 2.
On Tuesday, 258 teachers and 180 school services officers were absent for COVID-related reasons, either infected, isolating or caring for someone else.
That’s an increase on Monday’s figures when 230 teachers and 151 school services officers were absent for COVID reasons.
Libs make $500m healthcare pledge
The Liberal Party will commit $500 million in healthcare spending to upgrade major hospitals across South Australia, although has not listed the facilities it will target.
The incumbent party also this morning flagged it will unveil a “significant” mental health package in the coming days.
The “centrepiece” of the Liberals’ latest election pledge is the expansion of a “series of major hospitals that were downgraded under the former Labor Government”, although it is unclear which facilities are included in the new spend.
Further details about the announcement are expected later today.
In a media release this morning, the Liberal Party said there would also be an investment in health spending to extend “necessary COVID ready health management measures”.
“Our management of the pandemic has kept our state safe and now we have a strong plan to boost our health system to ensure South Australians can continue to get the care they need, when and where they need it,” Premier Steven Marshall said in a statement.
It comes as the State Government faces increasing pressure to boost investment in mental health care, with youth mental health advocates set to hold a rally at parliament this weekend calling for more child and adolescent psychiatrists in South Australia and expanded mental health services at the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
The pledge also follows a string of health announcements from Labor, who have used the first week of the campaign to pledge 300 more hospital beds and 100 more doctors at a cost of $331 million, along with a nursing recruitment drive and a 50-bed expansion of the new Women’s and Children’s Hospital.
Labor this morning branded the Liberals’ proposal a “vague push to spend millions on unspecified capital upgrades with little detail” and accused the incumbent party of “attempting to play catch up on health”.
“First, Marshall followed Labor on the Aquatic Centre and now he is following Labor on health,” shadow treasury spokesperson Stephen Mullighan said.
“Steven Marshall can never invest as much as Labor in health because Labor is scrapping Marshall’s $662 million Basketball Stadium and investing that money in health.”
Ukraine declares state of emergency
Ukraine has declared a state of emergency and told its citizens in Russia to flee while Russia has begun evacuating its Kyiv embassy in the latest ominous signs for Ukrainians who fear an all-out Russian military onslaught.
Shelling intensified at the line of contact in eastern Ukraine, where Russian President Vladimir Putin recognised the independence of two rebel regions this week and has ordered the deployment of Russian troops as “peacekeepers”.
But there was still no clear indication of whether he plans to follow that up with a massed assault on Ukraine involving the tens of thousands of troops he has gathered near his neighbour’s borders.
The uncertainty and a mostly incremental first volley of sanctions on Russian interests by the US and its allies have roiled financial markets.
“Predicting what might be the next step of Russia, the separatists or the personal decisions of the Russian president – I cannot say,” Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said.
The 30-day state of emergency could restrict the freedom of movement of conscripted reservists, impose curbs on the media and lead to personal document checks, according to a draft text that needs to be approved by parliament.
The restrictions would come into force from Thursday.
The Ukrainian government has also announced compulsory military service for all men of fighting age.
Ukrainian government and state websites, which have experienced outages in recent weeks blamed by Kyiv officials on cyberattacks, were again offline on Wednesday.
Ukraine’s parliament, cabinet and foreign ministry websites were affected.
Russia denies planning an invasion and has described warnings as anti-Russian hysteria, although it has taken no steps to withdraw the troops deployed along Ukraine’s frontiers.
On Wednesday, it took down flags from its embassy in Kyiv, having ordered its diplomats to leave for safety reasons.
Man killed in suspected hit-run
A man has been found dead by the side of the road after being the suspected victim of a hit-run east of the Barossa Valley last night.
Police and emergency services were called to Halfway House Road in Sedan about 9.45pm on Wednesday, February 23 after reports of a man lying on the road.
Patrols attended and located the deceased man, a 70-year-old from Angas Valley, on the side of the road.
Major Crash officers attended the scene and believe the man was a victim of a hit-run crash.
Halfway House Road was closed to all traffic for a number of hours but has since reopened.
Police are asking anyone who might have information about the crash to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or online at www.crimestopperssa.com.au
Foreign Minister lashes Russian ‘peacekeeping’ claim as Australia eyes more sanctions
Foreign Minister Marise Payne says it is an “obscene perversion” for Russian President Vladimir Putin to speak of Russian soldiers acting as “peacekeepers” in Ukraine, as the Australian Government considers expanding its sanctions regime
“Any suggestions that there is a legitimate basis for Russia’s actions are pure propaganda and disinformation,” Senator Payne told reporters during a visit to the Czech capital Prague after Russia recognised the separatist regions of Donetsk and Luhansk as independent territories.
Putin has signed a decree on the deployment of troops to the breakaway enclaves in eastern Ukraine in a move he says is aimed at keeping the peace.
“The assertion by President Putin of Russian soldiers acting as peacekeepers is indeed an obscene perversion of the noble and vital role that generations of peacekeepers have played across the world,” she said.
Payne added Australia would not hesitate to impose more sanctions if Russia escalates tensions.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison promised on Wednesday to “ratchet up” Australia’s response to the crisis, after announcing sanctions yesterday targeting eight members of the Russian Federation’s security council.
Existing sanctions in place over past aggression will be expanded, while Russian banks have also been targeted.
Morrison said he expected further tranches of sanctions against more individuals but remained tight-lipped about who would be targeted.
“We will take this step by step and I can assure you those steps will get stronger and stronger,” he said in Sydney.
Meanwhile, Russia’s ambassador to Australia, Alexey Pavlovsky, met with the secretary of the Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday afternoon following the announcement of the sanctions.
Morrison, who convened cabinet’s national security committee earlier in the day, said Russia needed to understand the world condemned its actions.
“The invasion of Ukraine has effectively already begun. They’re acting like thugs and bullies,” he said.
“Australians always stand up to bullies and we will be standing up to Russia.”
Firefighters union launches state election campaign
The United Firefighters Union is the latest from the unioxjmtzywn movement to launch a South Australian election campaign, with the group calling on all political parties to increase firefighting resourcing and address “a lack of essential equipment”.
The union campaign, titled “Don’t watch our firefighters burn – Help us protect your community”, will include a “digital marketing blitz” and community events with firefighters in marginal seats.
