A British woman allowed into South Australia to visit a dying relative is among 22 people given exemptions to travel over the past two months with health officials defending the process despite her testing positive for coronavirus.
Premier Steven Marshall said authorities have "got to have a heart" as he also backed the decision to allow the woman, in her 50s, to travel from Victoria to Adelaide.
The woman had spent about a week in quarantine after arriving in Australia and had tested negative while in isolation.
She wore a mask while travelling to South Australia but returned a positive swab soon after flying into Adelaide on the weekend and has now been returned to quarantine.
She has not yet been able to visit her relative.
Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier said the woman was among 22 people from overseas given exemptions to come to SA on compassionate grounds.
About half of those were to attend funerals and the rest to visit a close dying relative.
Professor Spurrier said in any situation there was some risk, and her team would now review its processes.
"I think this is very consistent with what we've done over the past two and a half months," she said.
"We haven't had a problem [until now], though we've now found we have a case.
"But I'm very happy that we have contained the risk to the rest of the South Australian community."
She said all 19 people regarded as close contacts, including other plane passengers, had been identified and were also in isolation.
Mr Marshall said despite the woman testing positive for COVID-19, allowing her into the state was the right thing to do.
"We've got to have a heart so there are some circumstances for compassionate reasons that we've allowed people to come to SA and that's still the right way to go," the premier said.
"It is a controlled arrangement. There was a process put in place which is being followed.
"She is in quarantine and is not coming into contact with the people of SA so I say the system has worked well."
But opposition health spokesman Chris Picton said the case raised many questions, including whether or not a test should have been conducted immediately before the woman flew to Adelaide.
"It's vital South Australians have confidence in our border restrictions, and transparency is key," Mr Picton said.
The woman is SA's 440th confirmed coronavirus infection and is the state's only active case.
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