02.05.2021
3 min read

WA records zero new cases after infected security guard spent days in Perth community

WA Premier Mark McGowan told reporters on Sunday that they were awaiting hundreds of test results.
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Western Australia has recorded zero new cases a day after learning that a Perth security guard had caught COVID-19 at a quarantine hotel.

WA Premier Mark McGowan told reporters on Sunday that they were awaiting hundreds of test results.

Watch McGowan speak in the video player below.

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Late on Saturday, WA Health authorities revealed that a security guard had tested positive for COVID-19.

Residents have been told they must return to wearing a mask to avoid possible infection just days after restrictions were relaxed.

The 45,000 spectators destined for the Derby will have to watch the sporting event from home and night clubs have also been shut across the state.

“At this point in time, we can avoid a lockdown,” McGowan said.

“I want to avoid going into lockdown again.

“I know how much it can impact people’s lives and businesses but if we need to go back into lockdown we will.

“That decision will be based on the latest health advice

The state had more than 3000 people come forward for testing in the last 24 hours.

Mark McGowan has addressed the media about the COVID-19 situation. Credit: Matt Jelonek/Getty Images

Infected cases were food delivery drivers

The security guard aged in his 20s worked at the Pan Pacific hotel between April 24 and 26 where at some point he is believed to have contracted COVID-19.

One of his seven housemates and a friend visiting from Canberra have since returned a positive test as well.

Both of those people worked as food delivery drivers, which McGowan said was relatively low risk in terms of spreading the virus.

“Public health advice is that the risk is low when it comes to food deliveries, given the minimal contact and the requirement to wear masks,” he said.

Health experts believe the two delivery drivers, who were friends with the security guard, could have been infected since Tuesday, April 27.

Both of them worked on April 29 and 30, on Thursday and Friday.

Cooking school infected with 20 class members

However, one of the delivery drivers has authorities a bit worried because they also attended a cooking school.

“One of these positive cases has attended a cooking school on April 27 and 28,” the premier said.

“This was Perth College of Business and Technology.

“Currently we understand about 20 people were also in that class and they have been contacted or are being contacted as we speak.”

WA Premier Mark McGowan fronts the media. Credit: AAP

The guard and his seven housemates have been moved to hotel quarantine as a precaution, McGowan said.

The security guard and the two other community cases were believed to be out in the community while infectious, prompting a list of new exposure sites to be announced by the government.

On his days off work from April 27 to 30, he moved through the community going shopping, seeing friends and visiting Mirrabooka Mosque.

A Coles store and a shopping centre were among the venues at risk of a COVID-19 infection.

A COVID testing clinic in Perth. Credit: AAP

The new cases come less than a week after the state ended a snap-three day lockdown, which concluded last Tuesday.

Two locally acquired infections were found from more than 29,000 tests after the virus leaked out of the Mercure quarantine hotel in late April.

The outbreak has renewed hotel quarantine concerns and prompted calls for the federal government to invest in purpose-built facilities.

The guest at the Mercure whose infection led to the outbreak had secured an exemption to travel to India last December to attend his own wedding.

India is facing an “explosion of cases”, causing the federal government to stop Australians from India returning home.