South Australia records 5,061 COVID-19 cases, hospital bed capacity boosted by 100

South Australia has recorded 5,061 new cases of COVID-19, but no further deaths in the latest reporting period.

There are 32,156 active cases of coronavirus in SA.

A total of 175 people with COVID-19 are in hospital, including eight people in intensive care.

Government modeling suggests daily COVID numbers are set to spike to as high as 8,000 cases a day before mid-April.

It is the second consecutive day that new COVID cases have exceeded 5,000.

The total caseload since the start of the pandemic — 257,567 — has increased by more than 6,000 since yesterday due to what SA Health described as a “reconfiguration of the data”.

There were 15,303 PCR tests administered yesterday and 1,745 rapid antigen test results were reported.

Earlier today, SA Premier Peter Malinauskas said the government would open more beds across the state’s health system to ensure that the state is ready for the anticipated rise in COVID cases.

More than 100 extra available beds have been identified across regional and Adelaide metropolitan hospitals.

That includes 12 within the Royal Adelaide Hospital’s intensive care unit.

Mr Malinauskas said the beds were needed to reduce significant strain.

“There is urgency here.”

Mr Malinauskas today repeated a plea to South Australians to get a booster vaccine, with a view to reducing COVID hospital admissions.

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