Adelaide doctor describes shock at coronavirus diagnosis that led to SA lockdown

The emergency department doctor credited with preventing a widespread coronavirus outbreak in South Australia says she was struck with disbelief when informed one of her patients had returned a positive COVID-19 test.

Lyell McEwin Hospital doctor Dharminy Thurairatnam was treating the 81-year-old woman on the night of Friday, November 13, when she noticed she had a slight cough and got her swabbed.

The woman had come in “feeling not her normal self” and “weak”, but with few other COVID-19 symptoms.

“It was during the…