Western Australia has recorded 2,137 new cases of COVID-19, as businesses grapple with tougher COVID-19 restrictions introduced yesterday when the border opened.
Key points:
- Today’s case tally dropped from the 2,423 cases reported yesterday
- It comes after tougher social restrictions were introduced
- Most of today’s cases were detected from PCR tests
There are now 21 people in hospital with the virus but none are in ICU and there has been no more COVID-related deaths in the state.
It comes after WA recorded its third death from locally acquired COVID-19 yesterday; a woman from the Great Southern aged in her 80s.
The woman’s vaccination status was not made public.
The new cases today were detected from 1,347 positive PCR tests and 790 self-reported rapid antigen tests.
But today’s tally was less than the 2,423 new cases reported yesterday, when WA opened its borders after more than 700 days of restrictions on travel into the state.
‘Untenable situation’: Adventure World
The level two COVID-19 restrictions introduced yesterday have already had a substantial impact on many businesses, including Perth’s Adventure World.
The amusement park revealed in a statement that it would be forced to close temporarily due to the tougher restrictions.
Under the new public health measures, outdoor public venues and events have been limited to the two-square-metre rule with a cap of 500 people, with mask-wearing also required.
Adventure World said the restrictions had created “an untenable situation”.
“We have actively explored a range of options in an effort to devise a solution that would enable us to keep our gates open,” the park said.
“However, in spite of these efforts, doing so for only 500 guests would simply not work.”
Adventure World acknowledged the closure would be disappointing for its members and guests but said it intended to reopen once conditions improve.
Other businesses have also felt the brunt of the state’s tough rules, with nightclubs and music venues shutting their doors.
While a change to the four-square-metre rule was scrapped, fitness, hospitality, and entertainment venues have been limited to seated service only with a cap of 150 patrons.
For Freo.Social, a popular bar and live music venue in Fremantle, trading under the new restrictions was essentially impossible.
The venue announced on its social media page that it had made the “sad decision” to close its doors until the level two measures were lifted.
“Unfortunately, we can’t make [it] work. Nor does it work for the artists we have had scheduled,” it said in a statement.
“We are hoping that this will only be for March, but we will continue to monitor it all closely and will reopen as soon as conditions change.”
Daily cases are predicted to spike at about 10,000 in a couple of weeks and it is forecast the state will record three COVID deaths each day.
The double-dose vaccination rate in WA has now surpassed 95 per cent in people aged over 12 while 66 per cent of those aged over 16 are now triple-dosed.
Health minister defends strict hospital visitation rules
Hospitals are also now in ‘red alert’ and are restricted to only essential visitors, preventing many partners and relatives from visiting their loved ones.
The WA branch of the Australian Medical Association has described the new rules as “absurd” when nightclubs are allowed to open, and not consistent with a compassionate society.
The Health Minister, Amber-Jade Sanderson, said she understood restrictions on hospital visitation were “distressing and difficult” but they were designed to protect vulnerable people.
“We are always mindful of extenuating circumstances, particularly around birth and end-of-life, and those circumstances are absolutely taken into consideration on a case-by-base basis with common sense.”
Ms Sanderson warned visitors risked infecting patients.
“We expect these extenuating circumstances to be applied with common sense and compassion from the hospitals and from those managing the hospitals,” she said.
“Bearing in mind it is often an open area, and we really have to look after everyone who is in our hospitals and in our hospices.
“What would be far more distressing is if someone very vulnerable came into hospital and contracted COVID from a visitor or even someone else’s visitor.”
Ms Sanderson said there was a focus on ensuring exemptions can be issued when needed, particularly in end-of-life or birth scenarios.
She said the Chief Health Officer, Dr Andy Robertson, was reviewing the rules.
“I expect he is looking at them as we speak and we will know when he changes them because he’ll make an announcement,” she said.
The health minister said comparing restrictions at hospitals with those in place for nightclubs did not make sense.
“Hospitals contain very vulnerable people including elderly, fragile and immunocompromised, there are whole oncology wards,” she said.
“There are many people in hospital who, frankly, are quite pleased there are not many visitors coming in and out of hospital.”
Loading
Loading form…
