Western Australia has announced five new Covid cases amid fears a French backpacker had seeded a new outbreak in the state.
One person is a close contact of a person who attended a Mess Hall Event attended by 400 people in Northbridge on Sunday, December 19, Premier Mark McGowan announced on Friday.
Four other people are close contacts.
He expected that the French backpacker was infected with Delta. Two of the positive cases were vaccinated, the premier said.
‘This means that anyone who attended the event must get tested and now self-quarantine for 14 days from the date of exposure,’ Mr McGowan said.
‘As the date of exposure is 19 December, this means they will be in quarantine until January 3.
‘A high number of patrons have been staying at the Fremantle Old Fire Station Hostel. This morning, WA Police locked down that hostel.
‘As this accommodation is not suitable for people to self-quarantine in, everyone staying in that hostel will now be provided with more suitable accommodation to complete their quarantine period.’
It’s believed 100 people from the hostel attended the event at the Mess Hall.
Mr McGowan said he now expected more cases in the state as a result of the new outbreak.
He announced a new public health measure in the state from 6pm this evening.
‘For all licensed hospitality venues, seated service only, will be permitted,’ Mr McGowan said.
‘This is on top of our public health rules we introduced yesterday including mask-wearing, the dancing ban, except at weddings, and the closure of high-risk entertainment venues and large-scale events.’
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan said he now expected more Covid cases in the state as a result of the outbreak
He flagged proof of vaccination status for entry to venues would be possibly brought forward as a result of the latest outbreak.
‘As details in our Safe Transition Plan, we’ll be introducing a proof of vaccination requirement for a range of venues and events by February 5 or earlier depending on how this outbreak plays out,’ he said.
‘This will further protect everyone who has done the right thing and gotten themselves vaccinated.’
Mr McGowan also further tightened border entry requirements to Western Australia.
‘South Australia has today recorded an alarming spike in cases – 688 new infections. There are also worrying signs out of Queensland which has recorded 589 new infections. This is a major concern,’ Mr McGowan said.
‘That is why both South Australia and Queensland will be reclassified from medium risk jurisdictions to high-risk jurisdictions.
‘The new border arrangements come into effect from midnight tonight.
‘This will mean arrivals must be approved, fully vaccinated, comply with the testing requirements before and after arriving, using the G2G Now app and undertake 14 days’ self-quarantine with the G2G Now app.’
Two women are seen wearing face masks in Perth, Western Australia, as the state’s Premier Mark McGowan brings in new restrictions and border requirements as the result of a new Covid outbreak currently numbering four people
Mr McGowan said WA was due to open up at 90 per cent vaccination on February 5, but is facing a potential outbreak after a Covid-positive 25-year-old traveller arrived from Queensland arrived in the state on December 12 – just an hour before WA shut its border to the Sunshine State at 12.01am.
He partied at a series of bars and nightspots, staying out until 5am at Perth’s trendy clubs on Saturday night, subsequently forcing hundreds of close contacts into isolation.
Australian Border Force confirmed the French backpacker arrived in Australia before the onset of the pandemic on January 7, 2020, and has remained in Australia the past two years, Mr McGowan said on Friday.
The state may be forced to open borders earlier than planned if Covid becomes widespread.
The premier admitted yesterday he had no idea how the man got in, and questions have been raised about how the unvaccinated backpacker was able to board a plane.
But the explanation is fairly straightforward due to WA’s tiered system of Covid risk that Mr McGowan applied to travellers.
Queensland was at the time Covid-free and classed as a ‘very low risk’ area, meaning there were minimal border controls and no testing, quarantine, or vaccination requirements.
Mr McGowan’s government reportedly received legal advice that it would be unable to enforce proof of vaccination rules for travellers from states that were Covid-free.
All travellers from very low risk areas have to do is fill out a G2G pass form with personal information, and submit to a basic health screening at the airport or border.
Mr McGowan said yesterday that the next four days would determine if WA had its first cases of community transmission since it locked down over just one case in June.
He immediately slapped an indoor mask mandate on Perth and Peel, closed nightclubs, banned dancing, and cancelled all large events.