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South Australia records five more COVID-19 deaths, 1,740 new positive cases

Premier Steven Marshall provided an update on the COVID-19 situation in South Australia.  (ABC News: Michael Clements)

South Australia has recorded five more COVID-19 deaths.

There have been 1,740 new cases, which is the lowest reported figure this year.

Hospital numbers have fallen by two patients to 283, but ICU numbers have increased by five to 29, and there are three people on ventilators.

There are now just under 23,000 active cases in the state. 

The state government has announced a $50 million support-and-stimulus package for the state's economy, including $22,000 cash grants for struggling businesses.

The cash grants will automatically be paid to previous recipients of the Tourism, Hospitality and Gym Grant and the Business Hardship Grant. 

Grants for other businesses that meet the turnover decline criteria will be application-based. 

The government will also release 160,000  'Great State' tourism vouchers and dining out vouchers will also be made available from February 18. 

Premier Stephen Marshall said the support package aims to assist those businesses that have been disproportionately hit by the pandemic. 

"The number one thing we can all be doing in South Australia is getting out and safely supporting our hospitality sector," he said. 

"They have been doing it tough but they are very professional, they are very capable."

Density at hospitality venues doubled to 50 per cent capacity from midnight last night. 

Mr Marshall said he was confident density restrictions could be further eased in coming weeks but patrons would still need to use QR-codes to check in when dining out. 

"We have reduced that density restriction from 25 per cent to 50 per cent, so we are hoping that people will book into their favourite cafe, restaurant, bar, club or pub and provide that support to a sector which has been doing it extremely tough." 

QR-code check-in data indicates trade across the hospitality sector has been slow to increase.  (ABC Radio Adelaide: Malcolm Sutton)

It is the second round of financial support that the government has released for businesses disproportionately impacted by the pandemic. 

Treasurer Rob Lucas said about 7,000 businesses had applied for the grants which were announced in December.

"The first grants up to $22,000 will be processed, I'm told, by Thursday or Friday this week, [for] those who have demonstrated their eligibility for the current round of grants," he said. 

"Not all of them will receive it from the end of the week but they will start processing them from the end of the week." 

Mr Lucas said the grants were being funded by the "wonderful taxpayers of South Australia".

"There was a $300 million provision for contingencies in this particular budget but, with the significant increase in costs that we have had in health, for example, with the cost of RATs, vaccination costs and the like, together with these business support packages we have well and truly spent more than that.

"We have had significantly more of the hardship grant recipients than expected." 

Businesses have until March 31 to apply for the new round of financial assistance. 

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