The Perth security guard infected with a UK strain of coronavirus was not required to wear a mask while working as authorities backtrack on claims he delivered medication to an infected quarantine guest.
The new details of the security guard's movements emerged today as Western Australia recorded no new coronavirus cases on the third day of lockdown.
Authorities are racing to find how the security guard contracted the virus despite having no immediate contact with overseas travellers.
READ MORE: Double probe into Perth virus case
It's believed the security guard either touched a surface contaminated with the virus, or was subject to airflow from the infected room despite being more than 1.5 metres away.
"The learning so far is that it is not something that is transmitted, it is not a pathogen that can be transmitted by the air-conditioning, for example," Paul Armstrong, WA's director of Communicable Disease Control, said.
"It's about airflow and ventilation in the hallways and it may have been the case that the airflow situation of that particular floor, wherever the person was sitting, at several times that the door was opened that something happened there, a chance event with that person became infected.
"That is our working hypothesis."
All hotel security guards must now wear masks at all times when on duty.
WA Health Minister Roger Cook said at the time, the security guard was not required to wear a mask, consistent with public health advice.
His role was to monitor the floor of the hotel to ensure people did not leave their rooms.
He did not visit rooms to deliver medication or other items, as was previously reported.
Unlikely security guard will be criminally charged
WA Premier Mark McGowan said a police investigation into the circumstances surrounding how the security guard at a quarantine hotel became infected with the UK strain of the virus continues, but it is unlikely he will be charged with a criminal offence.
"What we can establish is that the guard that we're speaking to remains very cooperative. He is assisting in the questions that are being put to him and there's nothing that he has said that we've been unable to corroborate, nor is there any criminal offences being identified," Mr McGowan said.
"What we do know is that he was deployed in that hotel as a static guard, seated in a corridor, outside an area close to a room - which we know, through the serology and genomic testing, that the occupant of that room has the same UK variant strain."
READ MORE: Infected security guard's neighbours 'kept in the dark' amid outbreak
Mr McGowan promised WA residents that the state's lockdown will end if zero cases are recorded tomorrow and again on Friday.
He commended the high number of people who have come forward for testing.
Residents underwent 12,326 tests yesterday, slightly down from Monday's 16,490 tests.
"That is a very good number of tests but we want to keep the number of tests at a high level," Mr McGowan said.
"That means even recently if you've received a negative result, if you begin to feel unwell or experience any symptoms, go get tested again."
READ MORE: All the regulations around state and territory borders after Perth COVID-19 case
Lockdown to continue
Despite the promising numbers, Mr McGowan said even if the lockdown does come down on Friday, it does not mean the state is in the clear.
"Our Chief Health Officer has advised that, in total, 189 close contacts have now been identified - 138 of these have returned negative results," Mr McGowan said.
"In addition, 234 casual contacts have also been identified - 116 of these have returned negative results."
Mr McGowan also lashed those who spread rumours that the state had low stock levels of personal protective equipment (PPE), calling for "misinformation" to stop.
"There is a lot of misinformation being thrown around about how we have low stocks of PPE. This is completely untrue. Throughout this pandemic, we had prepared and have all necessary PPE in stock," he said.
"Misinformation and the fear-mongering being peddled by some people needs to stop."
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