17 January 2022

COVID19 update 17 January 2022

Exposure sites continue to be updated on the HealthyWA website. People are urged to check this site regularly and follow the relevant health advice.

WA Health has reported three local COVID-19 cases and nine travel-related cases to 8pm last night.

The three local cases are the same cases announced yesterday afternoon, two are linked to the Cockburn cluster and the third is a known close contact of a previously reported case.

One of three local cases was not in quarantine for their entire infectious period. Contact tracers are working with this case to determine potential exposure sites. Some sites have already been added to the HealthyWA website. As more potential exposure sites are confirmed these will be added to the HealthyWA website as soon as they become available.

All cases are now in self-quarantine. Their known close contacts are currently being investigated and will be directed to get tested and self-quarantine immediately.

The other nine cases relate to returned interstate travellers and are in self-quarantine.

Vessels

WA Health is closely monitoring two vessels off the WA coast, both reporting probable COVID cases on board through returned positive Rapid Antigen Tests.

All positive crew members on board these vessels are isolating in their cabins and being monitored safely.

Testing advice

People are urged to continue to check the exposure sites page of the  HealthyWA website for updates, and if they have been to an exposure site to follow the listed health advice.

Anyone in the Perth and Peel regions experiencing symptoms should get tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result.

A full list of testing clinics is available on HealthyWA website. Metropolitan public testing clinics are open until 10.00pm tonight.

SafeWA

Yesterday, 1,486,050 scans were recorded on the SafeWA app. This represents a 24.5 per cent decrease in usage from the previous day. It is increasingly important for everyone to check in when they visit businesses in WA.

Other information

There are currently 106 confirmed active cases in WA. Of these, 33 are in hotel quarantine, 72 are in self-quarantine and one is in hospital but not in ICU.

Today’s 12 new cases bring the State’s total number of COVID-19 cases to 1309.

1,203 people have recovered from the virus.

Using the SafeWA app will help authorities contact those who may be at risk quickly and effectively.

Exposure sites

WA Health’s contact tracing team continues to identify a new range of exposure sites linked to new cases and it is likely exposure sites will be updated or added. Please continue to check exposure sites regularly, these are listed on the HealthyWA website.

WA Health has identified potential higher risk COVID-19 exposure in Osborne Park, Applecross and Mount Lawley, and urgently requires people who visited these sites at the times listed to get tested immediately and self-quarantine.

These higher risk COVID-19 exposure sites include Comfort Massage in Osborne Park, U Natural Spa Therapy in Applecross and New U Massage in Mount Lawley.

These location has been visited by multiple COVID-19 cases and WA Health believes additional people have attended the businesses during this time, without registering their attendance or using the SafeWA app.

Testing clinics

3,728 Western Australians were swabbed at clinics yesterday.

WA Health is expanding testing capacity, including operating hours of clinics. 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.

Border controls

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

COVID-19 vaccinations

COVID-19 vaccination clinics administered 35,153 vaccines in WA across the weekend.

Demand for vaccinations and third doses is increasing. To spread the demand across clinic operating hours and to avoid excessive wait times, people are encouraged to make a booking via Vaccinate WA.

Vaccinations are also available at GPs and pharmacies.

Anyone who received their second dose of a COVID-19 vaccine four or more months ago can now book their booster dose and ensure they have maximum protection against the disease.

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 most 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, 325 cases of variant strains have been detected in Western Australia – including 120 Omicron strain, 53 Alpha strain, 15 Beta strain, one Gamma strain and 137 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.

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