04 January 2022

COVID-19 update 4 January 2022

Exposure sites will continue to be updated on the HealthyWA website. People are encouraged to check this site regularly.

WA Health has reported 14 new cases of COVID-19 overnight.

All new cases are in quarantine and are not related to the Delta backpacker cluster or the case of the hotel quarantine security guard.

The State’s total number of COVID-19 cases now stands at 1190.

Eleven new cases are linked to interstate travel, nine arrived by air and two are interstate truck drivers who were tested at the border. Of the cases that arrived by air, six were recent travellers from Queensland and three were recent travellers from Tasmania.

Three cases are related to international travel.

While there are no new cases linked to the Delta backpacker cluster, WA Health is continuing to work with close and casual contacts. The total number of cases related to this outbreak now remains at 18, including the index case.

WA Health has identified 804 close contacts associated with the cluster and 25 are yet to be tested. There are also 1452 casual contacts linked to the Perth mess hall and four are yet to be tested.

The case of the vaccinated hotel quarantine security guard, whose positive test was reported on Sunday, remains under investigation. To date 15 close contacts have been identified, 12 have returned a negative result, 2 results are pending and one is being tested.

There are now 53 active confirmed cases in WA and 1121 people have recovered from the virus.

Exposure sites

WA Health’s contact tracing team is working to confirm any new exposure sites as a result of the Delta backpack cluster and the case of the hotel quarantine security guard.

Exposure sites are listed on the HealthyWA website. It is likely more sites will be added and people are encouraged to keep checking the site regularly.

If you have been to an exposure site on the dates and times listed, or you are contacted directly by WA Health, you are urged to:

  • immediately isolate from others in your home
  • get tested at a COVID-19 clinic, wear a mask and travel directly there
  • continue to isolate until a negative result is returned, unless instructed otherwise by WA Health
  • clinic locations are on the Healthy WA website.

Testing clinics

4,476 Western Australians were swabbed at clinics yesterday.

WA Health is expanding testing capacity, including operating hours of clinics. There are many clinics available – people are encouraged to check the HealthyWA website to find clinic locations and opening hours.

Private clinics are also available. Testing is available free of charge at private testing clinics for people who have been advised by WA Health to get tested, or who have been present at exposure sites at the times listed on the HealthyWA website.

With the hot weather, people are encouraged to plan ahead and bring a hat or umbrella, sunscreen and water, and to arrive 15 minutes before closing if possible.

Safe WA

On 3 January, 1,334,539 scans were recorded on the Safe WA App.

Border controls

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

COVID-19 vaccinations

COVID-19 state-run vaccination clinics administered 7,773 vaccines yesterday.

People are reminded that it is important for everyone who has received their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine four or more months ago to get their booster vaccination now without delay to ensure they have maximum protection again COVID-19. Do not wait until it is too late - act now and get vaccinated.

The Joondalup COVID-19 vaccination clinic has now re-opened at a new location at Lakeside Joondalup Shopping Centre. The new clinic is located off Joondalup Drive on the western side of the shopping centre, with access from the outside of the building.

In addition, to help manage the current increased demand for walk-in vaccinations, there are staffed booths operating in the Great Space area near the shopping centre information counter and the mobile vaccination bus will also be on-site at Lakeside Joondalup to provide vaccinations next week.

A new fixed clinic at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC) is expected to open in mid-January 2022. This replaces a pop-up vaccination clinic that opened at the PCEC on December 26, 2021.

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 a majority of 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, 219 cases of variant strains have been detected in Western Australia – including 21 Omicron strain, 53 Alpha strain, 15 Beta strain, one Gamma strain and 128 Delta strain.

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

Follow us on Twitter: WAHealth

*The number of close and casual contacts is not static and may change as further information becomes available. Close contacts are added when identified and intensive investigations to locate them are undertaken.

** WA vaccination data for the WA COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard is sourced from the Australian Immunisation Register (AIR). AIR is a national register maintained by the Australian Government that records all vaccines given to all people in Australia. WA data includes all COVID-19 vaccinations in WA, whether administered by WA Health, Australian Government providers or other providers (including GPs). WA previously reported only WA Health data. Note that the dashboard does not update until after 2pm Monday to Friday.

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

*** From 4 January 2022, booster vaccinations will be available four months after a person has received their second dose.

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