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Coronavirus crisis: WA registers 24 new COVID-19 cases with regional restrictions set to apply next week

Peter de KruijffThe West Australian
Premier Mark McGowan arrives to address the media with a COVID-19 update, accompanied by Police commissioner Chris Dawson and education minister Sue Ellery.
Camera IconPremier Mark McGowan arrives to address the media with a COVID-19 update, accompanied by Police commissioner Chris Dawson and education minister Sue Ellery. Credit: Nic Ellis/The West Australian

WA has had 24 new cases of COVID-19 reported overnight, including a five-month-old child and its parents.

The new cases, which bring the State total to 255, are made up of 11 males and 13 females aged from five months up to 82-years-old.

Eleven of the infected people had been on cruise ships which takes WA’s total for people who travelled on the boats to 62.

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One of the new cases is a Perth-based health worker.

There are currently 13 confirmed coronavirus patients being treated in Perth hospitals.

There have been 11,836 negative tests; 1591 of those are from regional WA.

There are 23 cases in regional WA, two in the Goldfields, two in the Mid West, eight in the South West, three in the Kimberley, two in the Wheatbelt, two in the Great Southern and four in the Pilbara.

Cruise ship update

Mr McGowan said both passengers taken off the Artenia yesterday were in ICU and were both in a critical condition.

Three planes will fly to Perth to pick up non-COVID-19-affected passengers and some crew members off the Artania on the weekend.

Infected passengers have been taken off the ship and will be sent back home to Europe after they have recovered.

The Vasco de Gama, carrying 800 Australians and 109 New Zealanders will berth in Fremantle today.

This is so New Zealanders will be able to fly home.

West Australians will self-isolate for two weeks at Rottnest Island.

Remaining passengers will have to self-isolate for two weeks on Rottnest or in a hotel before being able to travel back to their home state where they will have to quarantine for another two weeks.

Mr McGowan says West Australians who return to Australia but land outside the State will have to complete two weeks of self-isolation in a hotel before travelling home.

Once in WA they will have to spend another 14 days of isolation at home.

Regional restrictions to come into place

From midnight on Tuesday there will be new travel restrictions within WA from region to region.

The areas will be based on the regional development commission boundaries except for a combined Perth and Peel area.

Residents will not be barred from leaving their regions for essential travel.

Police will be able to level fines of $50,000 for anyone who breaks the rules.

Mr McGowan said further details would be released soon.

Gun shops closed

The WA government has moved to close gun shops and firearm dealerships from noon.

Under the emergency management act all firearm dealers across the state are required to close.

Farmers will still be able to access ammunition for pest control and animal welfare.

Second WA coronavirus victim named

WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson also read out a statement from the family of retiree Ray Daniels, who became the second person in the state to die after contracting COVID-19.

The Commissioner said the family of Mr Daniels were devastated.

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