Perth ordered into snap Covid lockdown

Perth and the southern region of Peel will enter a snap four-day lockdown after a third case of the Delta variant was detected in Western Australia on Monday.

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan locked down Perth and the Peel region on Monday night. Picture: Colin Murty

Perth and the southern region of Peel will enter a snap four-day lockdown after a third case of the Delta variant was detected in Western Australia on Monday.

Premier Mark McGowan ­announced the region would enter a “full lockdown” from midnight, with residents ­allowed to leave the house only for essential shopping, exercise in groups of no more than two, work and caregiving.

“Restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars can only provide takeaway service at this point in time for the next four day,” Mr McGowan said.

“Casinos, nightclubs, and ­entertainment venues will close. Beauty, nail and hair services will close.

“Retail is permitted but only for essential services and essential goods such as supermarkets, pharmacies, petrol stations, hardware and others.”

The Premier stressed the virulent nature of the Delta ­variant meant no chances could be taken.

“Tonight’s new positive case is a man in his 30s. He worked at the Indian Ocean Brewery and had a meal at the brewery on the same night as the original case – case 1022.

“That was on the evening of Tuesday, June 22.

“Any new positive case is not good.

“What is even more concerning is this most recent infection appears to have involved only fleeting contact with the original case.

“We need to take this very ­seriously.

“We know the risk Covid presents and we know from around the world that the Delta strain is another new beast that we can’t take any chances with.”

Mandatory mask orders will also return with anyone in the Perth and Peel regions required to wear masks outside the home and in all indoor settings, including on public transport.

Mr McGowan confirmed the third case contracted the virus from a woman from Sydney who ate in the same restaurant.

“How far away they were, if someone walked past the other, when they were going to pay their bill, I don’t have that detail,” he said.

“I do know they weren’t friends; they weren’t sitting at the same table.

“It was a very fleeting contact. That says to us that this is a very contagious virus and as we’ve seen in NSW, once it gets a hold, it’s very, very difficult to contain.”