Restrictions imposed following last week’s lockdown are expected to be further eased from midnight, as the government grapples with an evolving situation involving a ship off Geraldton.
Restrictions imposed following last week’s four-day lockdown are expected to be further eased from midnight after Western Australia recorded no new local cases of COVID-19.
Of growing concern, however, is an evolving situation involving a ship off the state's coast.
Mr McGowan confirmed the state had been alerted to developing events regarding a ship off the Geraldton coast, which had recently visited Indonesia, after a crew member fell ill, was transferred to Geraldton Hospital and tested positive for COVID-19 this morning.
It is understood the man was treated in line with COVID-safe protocols and has now been transferred to Perth.
The state government is now working with the federal government to address the situation, as the ship, which is understood to be a grain carrier, and its 21 crew members make their way to Kwinana.
Mr McGowan said while the situation was less than ideal and there was no current health risk to those in Geraldton, he was pushing for the ship to be turned around.
“It poses a risk we don’t want, but we’re an open, trading economy and it’s just the world we’re in,” he said.
“That’s why we’re telling people to get vaccinated when they can.
“We know the man is quite unwell and the safest way for us to deal with this situation is for the ship to sail.”
The state entered a four-day circuit-breaker lockdown last Monday after two people contracted the virus from a returned traveller who had visited Bondi, the epicentre of Sydney’s latest COVID-19 outbreak.
Since then, the state has recorded a further three cases of community transmission of the virus, which genomic sequencing has confirmed is the highly contagious Delta variant, and added more than 30 locations to the list of potential exposure sites.
Wastewater testing undertaken in Alkimos has confirmed the virus is confined to Perth’s northern suburbs, the wastewater for the homes of those in what is now being referred to as the Bondi-Mindarie cluster.
During a press conference this afternoon, Mr McGowan confirmed that none of the 5,177 people tested yesterday returned a positive test result, giving the state government the green light to further ease restrictions.
Health authorities have identified 398 close contacts, all who have returned negative test results.
A further 2,815 casual contacts have also been identified, with 2,613 of them testing negative.
From 12.01am tomorrow, WA will move to light transitional restrictions until 12:01am next Monday, subject to health advice - which would make the end of the 14-day incubation period.
Under the second phase of eased restrictions, masks will only remain mandatory indoors, including in the workplace and on public transport, and a 30 person limit will be in place for all indoor private gatherings.
Restaurants, cafés, pubs, bars, casinos, nightclubs, entertainment venues and public venues will be required to comply with a two square metre capacity rule and a 150-patron limit will apply, including for weddings and funerals.
Standing service will also be allowed.
Indoor and outdoor sport and fitness classes will be able to resume and major stadiums will be allowed to operate at 50 per cent capacity.
