Travellers from Queensland and Victoria will no longer have to self-isolate upon arrival in Western Australia from next week.
West Australian Premier Mark McGowan says WA has decided to relax coronavirus border restrictions with both states, unless there are any further outbreaks.
“We won’t hesitate to reinstate more stringent measures if we need to,” he said on Saturday.
Victorians will not have to self-isolate on arriving in WA from 12.01am on Friday, 5 February, with the state designated “very low risk” from that time.
Victoria will reach the milestone of 28 days with no local cases on Tuesday, but Mr McGowan defended waiting until Friday to relax restrictions.
“Sometimes just adding that little bit of precaution is very wise,” he said.
From 12.01am on Monday, Queensland arrivals will also be downgraded to a “very low risk” category.
But travellers from both states entering WA must be prepared to take a COVID test, and undergo health screening, as well as complete a declaration about where they have travelled in the past 14 days.
NSW arrivals will still be required to self-quarantine for two weeks and undergo a COVID test.
WA has recorded no community cases of the virus in the past 24 hours, marking nearly ten months without a virus case in the WA community.
But three cases have been detected in hotel quarantine in the past 24 hours, in travellers from the UK and South Africa.
Victorian towns on alert for COVID-19 symptoms
Meanwhile, virus fragments have been found in wastewater at three more Victorian towns, including the popular holiday destinations of Cowes and Castlemaine.
The fragments were found at Castlemaine, Cowes and Pakenham on 27 January.
The department of health is urging residents and anyone who has visited these areas from 25 to 27 January to get tested if they have symptoms of the virus.
It says the virus detections at each of the locations were weak, and could be due to people who have recovered from COVID-19 continuing to shed the virus.
Viral fragments were also recently detected in wastewater in Gisborne, Hamilton and Leongatha.
People who were in Gisborne from 24 to 26 January, in Hamilton from 25 to 27 January, or in Leongatha from 17 to 19 January are also being urged to get tested.
Victoria has now notched up 24 days since the last locally acquired case of the coronavirus, while NSW recorded its 13th day without a local case on Saturday.
Queensland and the ACT also have recorded no new cases in the past 24 hours.
People in Australia must stay at least 1.5 metres away from others. Check your jurisdiction’s restrictions on gathering limits. If you are experiencing cold or flu symptoms, stay home and arrange a test by calling your doctor or contact the Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. News and information is available in 63 languages at sbs.com.au/coronavirus.
Please check the relevant guidelines for your state or territory: NSW, Victoria, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory, ACT, Tasmania.
