South Australians return home after COVID-19 exposure in Melbourne
Two of three South Australians deemed "close contacts" of coronavirus cases who attended a Melbourne AFL game have returned home.
South Australia's Chief Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier said three South Australians have been deemed close contacts of COVID-19 cases from the AFL Port Adelaide-Collingwood match at the MCG over the weekend.
One of those South Australians has remained in Victoria and will quarantine there, while the other two, who have returned to their home state, are being "urgently re-tested".
READ MORE: Report traces possible origin of Melbourne COVID-19 cluster
Essendon players acknowledges their fans after the round 10 AFL match between the Essendon Bombers and the North Melbourne Kangaroos at Marvel Stadium. Getty
Another 464 South Australians at the match have been found to be in a Tier 2 "zone of concern" are required to self-isolate and get tested.
Professor Spurrier said she would recommend that anybody who was at the ground for the match get a COVID-19 test as a precaution, but especially if they developed any symptoms.
This comes as residents of Greater Melbourne have been barred from travelling to SA as of 6pm today.
SA Premier Steven Marshall made the announcement this afternoon following further COVID-19 cases added to the outbreak today.
Essential travellers with permits, and returning South Australians will be allowed to cross the border following the deadline.
Victoria has introduced a 48-hour border closure with South Australia to keep out the coronavirus. Nine News
However, both will be required to quarantine – returning South Australians for 14 days, and essential travellers for all the time that is not needed for the activity for which they travelled to the state.
Anybody who has come to South Australia from Greater Melbourne since May 20 is required to self-isolate, where they will be tested on days one, five and 13. They will be allowed out of isolation on returning a negative result to the initial test.
People from Bendigo LGA will be allowed to cross the border, but will be tested on days one, five and 13 and required to isolate pending a negative result from the initial test.
READ MORE: States and territories introduce new rules as Melbourne cluster grows
Chief Health officer for South Australia, Nicola Spurrier Nine
Chief Health Officer Professor Nicola Spurrier has said there is currently no end date set for the border closure between South Australia and Greater Melbourne.
"It's very difficult to predict the length of the border closure, this is an evolving situation," she said.
"It's too early to say at the moment."
She said South Australia's hope was that the border lockdown would be in place for "as short a time as possible".
READ MORE: SA girl one of the first teens in Australia to be vaccinated
The sign post that marks the border of Victoria and South Australia on the Murray River. Neil Newitt
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