Four state-run Riverland aged care facilities have declared COVID-19 outbreaks in the past week as the state government prepares to further ease restrictions.
The Pioneer Haven Aged Care facility in Waikerie was closed to visitors on Thursday, when four residents and three staff members tested positive to the virus.
The closure comes a week after the Bonney Lodge facility in nearby Barmera was also locked down, with a peak of 15 active cases among residents on Tuesday.
That number has fallen to five, but the facility is still closed to visitors.
Locked-down facilities can grant exemptions to visitors on compassionate grounds.
Two other sites, the aged care wings of the Renmark Paringa and Loxton hospitals, have declared outbreaks, but are still open to visitors within current SA guidelines.
All four are administered by the Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network.
The four outbreaks are the first in the region and no state-run aged care homes run by RMCLHN had recorded a COVID-19 case prior to March 28.
'Essential' visitors should remain during lockdowns
Three other state-run regional aged care homes are also locked down, The Burra Hospital aged care wing, Hammill House in Port Pirie, Melalueca Court in Minlaton.
The largest aged care facility in rural SA, Boandik Lodge in Mount Gambier, is also not allowing visitors.
Council on the Ageing SA chief executive Jane Mussared said the organisation had confidence in SA Health's ability to manage outbreaks.
She added residents should still be able to have essential visitors during outbreaks to maintain their overall wellbeing.
"Obviously a facility may need to pause that for a very short period while it gets on top of an outbreak and gets its systems in place, but that should be for a very short period.
"After that, the facility should be facilitating access to an essential visitor on a daily basis."
