31 January 2022

COVID-19 update 31 January 2022

WA Health is reporting 12 new local cases and 10 travel related cases up until 8pm last night.

Of the 12 new local cases all are linked to existing clusters, including seven linked to the nightclub cluster.

All cases are now in quarantine and public health continues to investigate and monitor them.

Some of today’s cases have been infectious in the community. Contact tracers are working with these cases to determine potential public exposure sites which will be uploaded to the HealthyWA website when confirmed.

Today’s figures bring the State’s total number of active COVID-19 cases to 155. Of these, 10 are in hotel quarantine, 144 are in self-quarantine and one is in hospital.

WA has recorded 1527 cases since the COVID-19 pandemic began, with 1357 recovering from the virus.

Hospitalisations:

One case, previously reported, is now out of ICU. 

Exposure sites

WA Health’s contact tracing team continues to identify exposure sites linked to new cases. High-risk exposure sites will be updated or added to the HealthyWA website. Please continue to check exposure sites regularly.

WA Health does not list exposure sites where it has identified all potential contacts or locations that can identify individuals who were there. People with symptoms should get tested immediately.

People who receive a text message from WA Health advising they have attended an exposure site must follow the instructions, even if the site is not listed on HealthyWA.

 

Testing advice

Library Nightclub:

WA Health is urging anyone who attended the ‘Club Bootylicious’ event at the Library Nightclub between 9:30 pm on 22 January and 5 am 23 January to be tested immediately and isolate until they return a negative test result. 

People are urged to continue to check the exposure sites page of the HealthyWA website for updates, and if they have been to an exposure site to follow the listed health advice.

Anyone in the Perth, Peel, Wheatbelt and the South West regions – particularly the greater Bunbury area – experiencing any symptoms should get tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result. This applies to anyone symptomatic – even if you have not visited a listed exposure site.

A full list of testing clinics and opening hours is available on HealthyWA website.

Testing figures

4736 people were swabbed at WA clinics yesterday.

Wastewater:

Previously unidentified detections in the City Beach and surrounding suburbs has now been reclassified as ‘expected’. A known case is in home quarantine in the area.

Vessels

WA Health is monitoring the MV Ballard off the WA coast. Authorities are in communication with the Ballard, which was expected to dock in Bunbury on 3 February. 

WA Health continues to closely monitor two other vessels off the WA coast, both reporting probable COVID cases on board through positive rapid antigen test results.

All positive crew members on board these vessels are isolating in their cabins and are being monitored safely.

New information for the community about managing COVID-19

New information about managing COVID-19 at home and in the community is on the HealthyWA website.

SafeWA

Yesterday, 1,623,854 scans were recorded on the SafeWA app. It is important for everyone to check using SafeWA or the ServiceWA app will help authorities contact those who may be at risk quickly and effectively.

Border controls

Information about Western Australia’s controlled border arrangements, conditions of entry and quarantine is available online.

COVID-19 vaccinations

Over the weekend, 41,907 COVID-19 vaccinations were administered in vaccination clinics in Western Australia.

Demand for vaccinations and third doses is increasing. To spread the demand across clinic operating hours and to avoid excessive wait times, people are encouraged to make a booking via Vaccinate WA.

From today, based on the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommendations, Western Australians 18 years and older will be eligible for their COVID-19 booster vaccination, three months following the second dose of the primary course.

Vaccination is the best defence against serious illness or death relating to COVID-19 and we encourage everyone that is eligible for their third dose not to delay and book an appointment on VaccinateWA.

Vaccinations are also available at GPs, pharmacies and community clinics.

Children’s vaccinations

66,129 first doses for kids aged 5-11 since paediatric vaccines have been administered.

Parents are encouraged to book their children in for a vaccination as soon as possible via VaccinateWA.

For the latest WA vaccination figures, visit the COVID-19 Coronavirus: Vaccination dashboard (external site)**. For the latest Commonwealth data visit the Vaccination Numbers and Statistics website.

Mandatory vaccination information

mandatory COVID-19 vaccination policy for most occupations and workforces in WA is being introduced in a phased approach. For more information on getting your COVID-19 vaccine, visit: https://rollup.wa.gov.au/.

Variants

To date, 482 cases of variant strains have been detected in Western Australia – including 275 Omicron strain, 53 Alpha strain, 15 Beta strain, one Gamma strain and 138 Delta strain.

Visit WA Health’s HealthyWA website for the latest information on COVID-19.

**A vaccine dashboard data interpretation guide (external site) is also available to help you.