A Covid-positive teenager who decided to keep partying despite knowing he had the virus will mean 150 people will spend Christmas in quarantine.
The teenager, 19, spent the night at the popular nightclub Loverboy in Adelaide’s city centre despite receiving a notification he had tested positive to Covid-19.
He is understood to have received a text message from SA Health at 10pm but allegedly ignored the warning and entered the club at 10.45pm last Friday.
The venue has since been declared a close contact exposure site, forcing 150 club-goers into isolation just days away from Christmas.
The teenager, 19, spent the night at the popular nightclub Loverboy in Adelaide’s city centre (pictured) despite receiving notification he had tested positive to Covid-19
It is understood the teen received the text message from SA Health at 10pm but allegedly ignored the warning and entered the popular venue (pictured) at 10:45pm last Friday
South Australia is reporting record numbers of locally acquired infections as the Omicron variant threatens the festive period.
Loverboy described the infected-patron as ‘selfish’ in a statement and warned the venue planned to take legal action.
‘Christmas is supposed to be a time to celebrate with family and loved ones, however, because of the actions of one selfish person, that wont be the case for many,’ the statement read.
‘We have to close our doors for the busiest week of the year and will be opening presents in isolation. We will be seeking justice.’
However, the teenager responsible for the mass pre-Christmas isolation appears ready to move on after being slammed online for his actions.
‘I reckon we just drop it. I’ve admitted to my mistakes and am truly apologetic,’ the young man wrote to social media.
Anyone at the club between 10.45pm on Friday and 4.15am on Saturday is considered a close contact by health officials.
South Australia continues to report record numbers of locally acquired infections as the Omicron variant continues to threaten the festive period (pictured, a woman in Adelaide)
SA on Friday announced they would be easing restrictions when 90 per cent of the eligible population had been fully vaccinated (pictured, a health care worker administers a test)
Vaccinated attendees will be asked to quarantine for seven days and unvaccinated club-goers will be in isolation for 14 days.
SA Police will investigate if the teenager has breached the state’s Emergency Management Act, which could mean the issuing of a $1,092 fine.
Several nightclubs in Adelaide’s CBD followed suit and shut up shop for the festive period fearing exposure to the virus.
Premier Steven Marshall on Friday announced restrictions would ease when 90 per cent of the eligible population were vaccinated, earmarked for December 28.
Once the vaccine benchmark is reached, density restrictions will be axed and capacity for indoor venues as well as gyms and nightclubs will be expanded.
Across Australia, thousands of families eager to celebrate the festive season will be spending Christmas in isolation as the Omicron variant continues to spread.
Thousands of families eager to celebrate the festive season will be spending Christmas in isolation as the Omicron variant continues to spread (pictured, health workers in Adelaide)
Adding to the Christmas holiday panic is the immense strain on testing clinics as Australians desperate to travel interstate flock for swabs (pictured, a testing site in Adelaide)
In NSW, which recorded 2,566 new infections on Sunday, health officials admitted they don’t know how many cases of the highly-infectious mutant-strain are running rampant in the community.
The revelation comes as worrying new international data finds Omicron is ‘no milder’ than the Delta variant – but five times more likely to re-infect.
Although 90 per cent of the Australian population over 16 are fully-vaccinated, the new variant is managing to spread in record numbers with the figure at 4,000 cases a day nationally and soaring.
Adding to the Christmas holiday panic is the immense strain on testing clinics as Australians desperate to travel interstate flock for swabs.
Queensland and Tasmania have both reintroduced mask mandates in indoor settings, amid rising case numbers (pictured, a Covid-19 testing station in Adelaide)
Most interstate travel requires a negative test before departure but with results taking two to three days, the wait is sending travel plans into turmoil.
Queensland and Tasmania have both reintroduced mask mandates in indoor settings, amid rising case numbers as holiday visitors start to flood interstate.
The Sunshine State recorded 42 new cases on Sunday, while South Australia saw 80 infections and Victoria saw a slight drop to 1,240.
Prior to the outbreak South Australia had recorded less than a thousand cases throughout the entire pandemic, and now has a total of 1,216.
NSW Health has revealed it is now longer testing Covid patients for the Omicron variant unless ‘clinically relevant’ – leaving officials with no idea how many cases of the strain are now in the state.