[ad_1]
Western Australia has not recorded any new local cases of COVID-19, with the number of infections in the latest outbreak triggered by a French backpacker remaining at 10.
Key points:
- Tests still need to be done on 46 close contacts of the backpacker
- 243 other casual contacts still need to be tested, PM says
- WADA says untested people are “unknown quantity”
Yesterday 4,911 tests were performed at public and private testing clinics, Washington State Premier Mark McGowan said in a statement.
He said that to date, 655 close contacts of the original carrier – Case 1133 – have been identified, of which 46 have yet to be tested.
Health officials later revealed that 28 of those 46 close contacts were patrons of a rave night at Perth Mess Hall the backpacker was attending.
Another 1,109 casual contacts have been identified, of which 243 have yet to be tested, McGowan said.
“Our contact tracing team is working hard to identify exhibition sites and track contacts – but we need you to do the right thing and get tested,†he said. .
“If you have been at an exhibition site, you must come forward immediately.”
Perth Mess Hall customers ‘turned off the phones’: McGowan
Mr McGowan had said yesterday that WA Police were working to locate 86 close contacts who had yet to be tested.
He said that of these, 39 were party patrons from Perth Mess Hall, where 400 people were named as close contacts.
In a Facebook post on Tuesday afternoon, Mr McGowan criticized the 39 mess attendees who had not been tested.
“They had ample time not only to be contacted by our contact tracing teams, but also to be aware of the infections that occurred during this holiday,†he said.
Paul Chate, who worked at one of the nightclubs considered an exhibition site in Northbridge, visited the COVID clinic at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital for his second test today.
He said he didn’t know why some people didn’t come forward for testing, but thought they might have the “it won’t be me” mentality.
“I think a lot of people have been tested first, but these other possible sites, I don’t know if people are following it. They think they’re too far away, they think ‘it’s okay’ be me, ‘he said. he declared.
UWA keynote speaker Dr Barbara Nattabi said there was a high likelihood that any of the 28 exceptional close contacts would carry the virus, given the previous transmission at the Perth Mess event Lobby.
“I think it is very important that these people continue to be searched and found,” she said.
“It is possible that they are actually in different parts of the state… they could be in the north or in the south.
“We have a relatively high vaccination rate in WA, which will slow down the speed of transmission.
“But still, we are talking about the Delta variant, and you have communities where the vaccination rate is not that high, especially among the indigenous community and other communities as well.”
WADA deplores an “unknown quantity”
The president of the Australian Medical Association WA, Mark Duncan-Smith, said the people who had not been tested were an “unknown quantity”.
“If we knew this was all negative, then maybe the restrictions could have been lifted. “
It is not known how many of those tested yesterday were from the mess event.
COVID rules disrupt New Years Eve
WA has tightened restrictions since the first positive case was identified last Thursday.
Initially, they were supposed to relax on December 28, but yesterday they were extended until January 4.
Face masks are mandatory in indoor public spaces and major events have been canceled, including New Year’s celebrations.
Dancing is not permitted except at weddings, and licensed venues may provide seated service only.
But masks are not compulsory in private residences and there is no limit on the number during private parties.
WA has recorded three new cases of coronavirus among returning overseas travelers, including two in hotel quarantine and one in self-quarantine.
This brings the total number of cases recorded in WA to 1,148.
There are 23 active cases in WA, 19 in hotel quarantine and four in self-quarantine.
Loading form …
[ad_2]
