New Premier Peter Malinauskus says the state's COVID-19 case numbers are set to escalate in a “significant way”.

Current modelling shows numbers could reach 8000 new cases per day by the start of April, with more than 200 people needing hospital care each day.

SA Health are also expecting an “uptick” in the number of children needing to be hospitalised with the virus.

Locally, the SA Health COVID-19 heat map shows 213 current cases in the Alexandrina Council area, 134 in Victor Harbor, 61 in Yankalilla, 2807 in Onkaparinga and 25 on Kangaroo Island.

The Chief Public Health Officer, Nicola Spurrier, says the change to modelling numbers is due, in part, to a slower uptake of the COVID-19 booster than anticipated and the emergence of the new, more transmissible, BA2 Omicron variant.

She says there is no evidence that the BA2 variant is more severe than the original Omicron strain. 

However, she pointed out that more cases means more hospitalisations and strain on the hospital system.

Professor Spurrier says the third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine could be lifesaving for older and vulnerable people.

She also says South Australians need to “mentally prepare” for future waves of the pandemic.

There were 3686 new cases of the virus reported yesterday in SA. 

Currently there are 165 people in hospital including 11 in intensive care and two patients requiring ventilation.

Four people with COVID-19 died yesterday; a man in his 50s, a man in his 60s and a man and a woman in their 80s

However, changes to the rules around masks wearing and quarantine could come as soon as Friday with the Premier wanting consistency with other states.

In NSW masks are not required in retail settings or hospitality venues and household contacts of a person with COVID-19 are only required to isolate for seven days.

Currently in South Australia, if you can not quarantine away from a family member with COVID-19 you have to isolate for 14 days.

Mr Malinsauskus thanked Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier and State Co-ordinator Grant Stevens for their efforts over the past two years at this morning’s press conference.

However he says his government will take more control of the COVID-19 response in the future.

He says the Emergency Management Declaration will not be extended past June 30 and will be removed earlier, if possible.

He also says he has directed SA Health to "rapidly develop" a plan to increase hospital capacity and preparedness.

The Premier says a ban on overnight non-urgent elective surgery had been put in place on Friday, the day before the election, but he and the public had not been made aware of this. 

He says he has also instructed the Crown Solicitor’s Office to look at what changes could make the Public Health Act more functional during the pandemic and would bring the changes before Parliament as quickly as possible.

More announcements regarding COVID-19 management will be made on Friday.