WA COVID update: Masks back as backpacker tests positive after 11 days in Perth community

People in Perth and Peel must wear masks in all indoor venues — except homes — over Christmas after an unvaccinated French backpacker went nightclubbing while unknowingly infected with COVID-19.

The new rules will also see nightclubs closed, certain high-risk large scale events cancelled and dancing banned -- except at weddings -- for five days, from 6pm tonight to 6am on Tuesday, December 28.

Anyone who has been in Perth and Peel since December 16, the day the 25-year-old man was believed to have become infectious, and travels to regional areas must follow the mask rules.

Mark McGowan reassured West Australians that “Christmas Day will proceed as normal” with no mask mandate inside homes or limits on how many people can gather for Christmas lunch.

The mask mandate applies to all public indoor settings across Perth and Peel, including workplaces, shopping centres, hospitality venues, churches and public transport. Masks are encouraged, but not mandated outdoors.

Authorities are scrambling to identify, test and isolate “hundreds” of contacts of the infected backpacker who visited venues in Mirrabooka, Joondalup, Girrawheen, Perth CBD, Subiaco, Northbridge and Scarborough.

The backpacker, who was originally from France, arrived in Perth from Queensland on December 12, just one hour before WA reclassified Queensland from a “very low risk” jurisdiction to “low risk”.

Travellers from very low risk jurisdictions were not required to be vaccinated, undergo pre-flight testing or self-quarantine. They only had to complete a G2G Pass registration before travelling to WA.

The exposure sites include: WA Museum Boola Bardip, Scarborough Sunset Markets and Galway Hooker on December 16, Palace Cinema at Raine Square and Bloody French in Subiaco on December 17, Geisha Nightclub, Connections Nightclub and Perth Mess Hall on December 19.

On December 22 he went to Vinnies Mirrabooka, as well as the Kmart store and Aldi supermarket at The Square Mirrabooka.

The backpacker was staying at a rental house in Girrawheen, in Perth’s north east suburbs, with his girlfriend and four others. His girlfriend is also symptomatic, while the four other housemates were today camping in the Mandurah region.

All five have been deemed close contacts. They will be tested and must quarantine for 14 days, irrespective of their test result.

Mr McGowan said it was believed the man had the Delta strain of the virus, which is not as contagious as the Omicron variant.

The Premier said there were “hundreds” of casual contacts, but he was unable to provide an exact figure. Casual contacts must get tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result.

“He’s been to events where there’s been lots of dancing and lots of fun and lots of interaction by lots of people in close proximity, that’s why we’re so concerned about it,” he said.

“Some people will probably say we’re going too far in our reaction to this because it is one case, but the venues he’s been to and the length of time he’s been potentially infectious means we have to take these steps.”

With no spread of the virus since June, the State Government never followed some other jurisdictions by requiring proof of vaccination to enter hospitality venues.

Mr McGowan said he was not plunging Perth into lockdown because vaccination rates were so high, with about 84 per cent of over 12s double dosed in WA.

“This gives us a level of protection. That’s why I’ve been saying it and banging on about it every day for months on end to please go and get vaccinated because you never know what’s around the corner. And here we are - it’s arrived,” he said.

“He came in one hour before the hard border went up with Queensland. It’s arrived, we hope there hasn’t made community spread but there may have been.

“We’ll hopefully find out the answer to that question in coming days. That’s why we’re taking the steps we’re taking to protect ourselves as best we can if there has been any spread of the virus.”

Mr McGowan said no consideration had been given to reintroducing intrastate travel restrictions to stop Perth residents travelling to the regions over the festive period.

“I’m not going to say to people you can’t travel north and south,” he said.

“I’m just saying if you leave Perth now the requirement is, at least for the next four and a half days, you’re required to wear a mask. Now that may extend, we’ll just see what we pick up through our testing clinics over the course of the next four days.”

If there was spread of the virus in Perth, Mr McGowan said the planned February 5 reopening of the border “in many ways becomes redundant” and his Government would “have to reconsider everything”.

Mask rules won’t apply to those taking part in vigorous indoor exercise and are recommended — but not mandated — when people cannot physically distance outdoors.

Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson, who is in her first week in the job after she replaced Roger Cook, said Perth and Peel residents should wear masks “really anywhere but the home”.

Ms Sanderson said there should be no delays in delivering test results despite an expected surge. Some of those swabbed could get their result within a couple of hours, but others may have to wait a couple of days.

She said queues at testing clinics were expected and, with Perth forecast to reach 38C on Friday and 42C on Saturday, encouraged people to come with a hat, water and sunscreen.

Geisha Bar owner Craig Shorthill, who is stuck in Melbourne, said there would have been about 350 to 400 customers at his venue at the same time as the COVID case, as well as 15 staff.

Connections Nightclub posted on social media that the Northbridge venue would be closed until further notice.

Perth Mess Hall on Francis Street confirmed its staff had received messages from WA Health informing them they must isolate and get tested.