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Health

COVID restrictions to be eased as SA records 2,590 new cases and four COVID-linked deaths

The state's COVID Ready Committee will meet today to discuss the possible easing of restrictions.  (ABC News: Michael Clements)

Dancing and singing will be allowed and all density restrictions will be scrapped in South Australia this weekend.

The 50-person cap on home gatherings will also be lifted when restrictions relax at 12:01am on Saturday.

QR check-ins will no longer be required for recreational transport, auctions and inspections, public transport, taxis, rideshares and education facilities.

Some people with COVID-19 will only need to isolate for seven days rather than 10, but SA Health will directly contact positive cases to advise them of their quarantine requirements.

Police Commissioner and state emergency coordinator Grant Stevens said existing rules regarding quarantine for close contacts and mask-wearing would remain, but changes would be considered next week.

Mr Stevens said today's announcement would come as a relief to a "huge number of people in a whole range of sectors", including businesses and people wanting to hold celebrations.

"This gives them the ability to do that as they would have done pre-March 2020," he said.

Grant Stevens says the changes will come as a relief to a "huge number of people". (ABC News: Lincoln Rothall)

This fourth tranche of eased restrictions comes despite the state reaching its highest level of active cases since January 29.

South Australia has recorded 2,590 new cases and four deaths in the latest reporting period, including two people in their 50s.

"We just need to remind people we are still in the midst of a global pandemic," Mr Stevens said.

"People are still getting sick from COVID-19.

"We still have a personal responsibility to make sure we do the right thing to keep ourselves safe, the people we care about safe and vulnerable members of the community safe."

SA Health said the latest people to die from COVID-19 were a man and a woman in their 50s, a woman in her 70s and a man in his 80s.

There are now 21,514 active cases in South Australia.

There are 91 people with COVID-19 in hospital, including 11 people in ICU, and two people requiring a ventilator. 

Yesterday the state recorded 2,560 infections, 500 more than the day before. 

There are now 529 public school teachers and other school staff absent due to COVID-19 reasons, and 2.4 per cent of students have tested positive or are close contacts.

Omicron sub-variant on the rise in SA

SA Health said the Omicron sub-variant BA.2, believed to be causing rising case numbers in NSW, was also increasing in SA.

According to the latest genome sampling from SA Health, 19 per cent of cases were the BA.2 Omicron sub-variant.

In a statement, an SA Health spokeswoman said the department would continue to track the sub-variant, and encouraged the public to maintain physical distancing and mask-wearing.

"Our experience with this sub-variant is still being monitored, but to date suggests BA.2 is probably more transmissible than BA.1," the spokeswoman said.

"There is not enough information yet to comment on its severity."

How deadly is COVID-19? And how does it compare to other diseases?
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