Western Australians have avoided what would be their second COVID-19 lockdown in a fortnight for another day, Premier Mark McGowan has announced.
The state has recorded no new community cases of the virus today, after three new cases linked to a quarantine hotel were confirmed yesterday.
Premier Mark McGowan's announcement will bring relief, but he is still refusing to rule out a lockdown in the days to come, with new exposure sites revealed.
READ MORE: Coronavirus breaks out of Perth hotel quarantine with three new cases
The fresh outbreak stems from a quarantine security guard who worked at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Perth last weekend, with two of his household contacts also testing positive yesterday.
The man, aged in his 20s, is believed to have been infectious in the community for four days after potentially contracting the virus from two positive travellers quarantining on the same floor he was guarding.
Premier Mark McGowan is expected to reveal any new cases detected since then at a press conference scheduled for 10.30am local time (12.30pm AEST) today, as well as any further restrictions.
Mr McGowan said yesterday there was no plan to send Perth into an immediate lockdown but "this could change by tomorrow or the day after".
Some restrictions have already been stepped up, just one day after they were eased following the previous three-day lockdown which ended last Monday.
Masks are again mandatory outdoors as well as in indoor public spaces and on public transport.
Cafes and restaurants will return to "pretty much business as usual" but hospitality venues must comply with either the two-square-metre rule or 75 per cent capacity, while nightclubs will operate under the four-square-metre rule.
The latest outbreak has prompted New Zealand's Ministry of Health to pause the trans-Tasman travel bubble with Western Australia.
Scheduled flights between WA and New Zealand have been cancelled, including a flight from Perth which had been due to land in Auckland at 5.50am on Sunday morning.
The NZ government is also advising anyone who has arrived into the country from the WA capital in the last four days to check the exposure sites and self-isolate immediately if exposed.
Other Australian states have yet to increase travel restrictions with their western neighbour, but extra protocols are being put in place.
In New South Wales, Perth arrivals are being screened by dedicated health teams after disembarking at Sydney Airport and all travellers are required to complete an entry declaration if they've been in WA within the 14 days prior to entering NSW.
Victoria has added the Perth exposure sites - which include a shopping centre and Coles - as 'Tier One' exposure sites, with anyone who has visited the locations at the relevant times being sent into an immediate 14-day quarantine.
Perth and Peel remain 'orange' zones under Victoria's traffic light border restrictions, meaning travellers must apply for an exemption before being permitted to enter the state.
South Australia is directing recent Perth arrivals to self-quarantine if they visited any of the exposure sites and to complete documentation to notify SA Health.
New exposure sites
- Mirrabooka: Mirrabooka Mosque: Masjid Al Taqwa on 30/04 between 1:15pm - 2:00pm
- Balcatta: Coles - Prime West Northlands Shopping Centre on 29/04 between 4:30pm – 5:15pm
- Joondanna: Agha Juice Cafe on 28/04 between 6:50pm – 8:00pm
- Balcatta: Smokemart - Prime West Northlands Shopping Centre on 28/04 between 1:30pm – 3:15pm
- Balcatta: Northlands Fresh - Prime West Northlands Shopping Centre on 28/04 between 1:30pm – 3.15pm
- Stirling: Spudshed on 28/04 between 1:30am – 2:30am
- Victoria Park: Swan Taxi Victoria Park on 27/04 between 1:50pm – 2:45pm
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