29 January 2022

COVID-19 update 29 January 2022

WA Health is reporting 22 new local cases and 1 related to interstate travel up until 8pm last night.

Of the 22 new local cases:

  • 14 cases are linked to the Library Nightclub Cluster (6 are secondary cases, 8 are linked to the event itself, which include the five reported yesterday but are counted in today’s numbers.
  • One case is likely linked to the greater Bunbury cluster.
  • Six cases are household contacts from known clusters in the South West, Safety Bay, Rockingham, Willagee and Wheatbelt areas.

One case is under investigation with no link established to any known clusters.

All cases are now in quarantine and public health continue to investigate and monitor them.

Some of today’s cases have been in infectious while in the community. Contact tracers are working with these cases to determine potential public exposure sites which will be uploaded to the HealthyWA website when confirmed.

WA Health is also reporting one case of an interstate traveller, who is in quarantine.

Today’s figures bring the State’s total number of active COVID-19 cases to 137. Of these, 12 are in hotel quarantine and 124 are in self-quarantine.

WA has recorded 1485 cases since the COVID-19 pandemic began. To date, 1339 people have recovered.

Hospitalisations:

One case, previously reported, remains in hospital in ICU.

Library Nightclub:

WA Health is urging anyone who attended the ‘Club Bootylicious’ event at the Library Nightclub between 9:30 pm on 22 January and 5 am 23 January to be tested immediately and isolate until they return a negative test result.

South West region:

WA Health is urging anyone with symptoms in the South West to be tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result or are advised otherwise by WA Health, following yesterday’s report of a confirmed COVID-19 case in the Bunbury and Collie area.

Wheatbelt:

WA Health is urging anyone with symptoms in the Wheatbelt to be tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result or are advised otherwise by WA Health, following yesterday’s report of a confirmed COVID-19 case in the region. The one new case for this cluster was not infectious in the community.

Wheatbelt (Western) Testing Clinics:

Beverley Health Service (08) 9646 3200 1 Sewell Street,

Beverley Cunderdin Health Centre (08) 9635 2222 55 Lundy Avenue,

Cunderdin Dalwallinu Health Service (08) 9661 0200 Myers Street,

Dalwallinu Goomalling Health Service (08) 9629 0100 52 Forrest Street,

Goomalling Northam Health Service (08) 9690 1300 50 Robinson Street,

Northam Wongan Hills Health Service (08) 9691 1222 Lot 199 Ackland Street,

Wongan Hills Wyalkatchem-Koorda Health Service (08) 9692 1222, 9 Honour,

Wyalkatchem York Health Service (08) 9641 0200 9 Trews Road, York

Testing:

Wastewater

Viral fragments of COVID-19 (SARS-CoV 2) have been detected in wastewater from City Beach and surrounding suburbs, including Wembley Downs and Floreat.

This unexpected detection was found in a sample collected on Tuesday, 25 January and is of concern as there is no known case of COVID-19 residing, or having reported being in the area at the time of sampling.

COVID-19 viral fragments have also been detected in wastewater collected from the Mandurah area.

A full list of testing clinics is available on HealthyWA website.

Exposure sites

WA Health’s contact tracing team continues to identify exposure sites linked to new cases. High-risk exposure sites will be updated or added to the HealthyWA website. Please continue to check exposure sites regularly.

WA Health does not list exposure sites where it has identified all potential contacts or locations that can identify individuals who were there. People with symptoms should get tested immediately.

People who receive a text message from WA Health advising they have attended an exposure site must follow the instructions, even if the site is not listed on HealthyWA.

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, Peel, Wheatbelt and the South West regions – particularly the greater Bunbury area – experiencing any symptoms should get tested immediately and isolate until they receive a negative result. This applies to anyone symptomatic – even if you have not visited a listed exposure site.

A full list of testing clinics and opening hours is available on HealthyWA website.

Testing figures

7,011 people were swabbed at WA clinics yesterday.

Vessels

WA Health is communicating with a vessel, the MV Ballard, off the WA coast with 9 of the 23 crew who are reporting positive rapid antigen tests. Two other crew are symptomatic but have so far tested negative. Authorities are in communication with the Ballard, which was expected to dock in Bunbury on 3 February.

WA Health continues to closely monitor two other vessels off the WA coast, both reporting probable COVID cases on board through positive rapid antigen test results.

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

New information for the community about managing COVID-19

New information about managing COVID-19 at home and in the community is on the HealthyWA website.

SafeWA

Yesterday, 2,227,686scans were recorded on the SafeWA app. It is important for everyone to check using SafeWA or the ServiceWA app will help authorities contact those who may be at risk quickly and effectively.

Border controls

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

COVID-19 vaccinations

Yesterday, 11,797 COVID-19 vaccinations were administered in state-run vaccination clinics in Western Australia.

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.

From 31 January 2022, based on the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI) recommendations, Western Australians 18 years and older will be eligible for their COVID-19 booster vaccination, three months following the second dose of the primary course.

Vaccination is the best defence against serious illness or death relating to COVID-19 and we encourage everyone that is eligible for their third dose not to delay and book an appointment on VaccinateWA.

Vaccinations are also available at GPs, pharmacies and community clinics.

Children’s vaccinations

WA Health is urging parents to vaccinate their children before the start of the new school year. There are paediatric appointments remaining over the weekend at PCEC.

Additional appointments for children aged 5 to 11 have been added at State-run clinics until January 30 and these can be booked online at VaccinateWA.

Increased children's vaccinations will also be available at Kwinana and Ellenbrook vaccination clinics.

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

A 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, 448 cases of variant strains have been detected in Western Australia – including 241 Omicron strain, 53 Alpha strain, 15 Beta strain, one Gamma strain and 138 Delta strain.

Visit WA Health’s HealthyWA website for the latest information on COVID-19.

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