Western Australia continues to avoid lockdown as McGowan receives Covid jab

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Mark McGowan announced there were no new local cases of COVID-19 in the state.

Western Australia has recorded no new local cases of COVID-19 following fears Perth was on the brink of another lockdown after its latest coronavirus outbreak.

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Premier Mark McGowan announced there were three new cases of COVID-19 in hotel quarantine today, describing the zero local infections as “great news”.

It comes days after a hotel security guard – known as case 1001 – tested positive to the US strain of the virus, along with two of his housemates.

The variant was identical to a traveller who visited from the US and was transferred to the hotel on the same day when case 1001 was working.

“So, we expect he acquired the virus from that person,” Mr McGowan said.

“We don’t know how. The advice we have is at this point in time it was not related to ventilation issues in the hotel.”

The man in his 20s worked at the Pan Pacific Perth hotel and may have been infectious in the community since April 27.

There are 58 close contacts that have been identified in relation to the man, who lives in the northern Perth suburb of Nollamara.

Of those, 26 have returned negative test results.

Mr McGowan said 17 of the close contacts were from cooking classes.

“We’re awaiting results from the remaining, but all are in quarantine and will be in quarantine for the next 14 days,” he said.

There are 217 casual contacts, with 43 testing negative so far.

“Casual contacts are required to get tested immediately and quarantine until they return a negative test result,” Mr McGowan said.

© Nine
WA Premier Mark McGowan received the COVID-19 jab today.

A separate group of locations will be added to the state’s public exposure site list where food delivery drivers, including the two who tested positive, picked up and dropped off food.

“There are about 100 different locations that WA Health advised are very low risk,” Mr McGowan said.

“The people to whom food was delivered, of whom there is 100, are required to get tested.

“They are considered a casual contact.”

The premier acknowledged the past 10 days have been “quite distressing” for the state and the interim restrictions due to expire at 12.01am on Saturday would be reviewed.

“At this point in time, we’re requesting everyone wear masks, everyone do the right thing,” Mr McGowan said.