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New Covid outbreak as state ponders lockdown

People are being warned about new Covid hotspots after a security guard working in hotel quarantine and two of his housemates tested positive in Perth.

WA Premier Mark McGowan said the man, aged in his 20s, worked at the Pan Pacific Hotel on April 24, 25 and 26.

Each of those days he returned a negative test, however, Mr McGowan said on April 24 he had been working on the same floor where international arrivals subsequently tested positive.

A security guard and two of his housemates have tested positive for coronavirus. Source: AAP
A security guard and two of his housemates have tested positive for coronavirus. Source: AAP

"CCTV vision is being reviewed, however there is no clear explanation at this point as the how the security guard could have been infected," Mr McGowan told reporters.

"It is possible transmission could have occurred while the international arrivals were admitted into hotel quarantine and possibly when transferred to their rooms."

Mr McGowan said at this stage Perth would not move into a snap lockdown as the cases were detected early, however that could change in the coming days.

The security guard had his first Covid vaccine before he tested positive.

He was living with seven people, including two visitors from Canberra. All seven have been tested and two have so far returned a positive result.

He and his housemates have now been moved into hotel quarantine.

WA Premier Mark McGowan said a snap lockdown that ended earlier this week
WA Premier Mark McGowan said a snap lockdown that ended earlier this week "helped tremendously". Source: Getty

Mr McGowan said a snap lockdown in Perth and Peel that ended on Monday and restrictions on gatherings as well as a mask mandate has "helped enormously".

"They have significantly reduced movement in the community and everyone has been wearing masks," he said.

"That gives us some confidence that the risk of transmission is significantly lower than it normally would be.

"These factors and the fact we have picked up this case early means we can avoid moving into a lockdown at this point. But it is possible this could change tomorrow or the day after."

Covid exposure sites revealed

Mr McGowan told reporters the security guard visited Stirling, in Perth's north, on April 28 and went to Northland shopping centre and the Agha Juice Cafe in Joondanna.

On April 29, the man visited Coles at Northlands shopping centre before later meeting up with friends.

He developed symptoms that evening that he thought were related to the Pfizer vaccine he had received.

On Friday he visited the Mirrabooka Mosque for 30 minutes before attending a hotel quarantine facility for a weekly test that is required for hotel quarantine workers.

"It is important that anyone who has been to an exposure location at the relevant time is tested immediately," Mr McGowan warned.

"We have done this before and we must do it again."

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