Despite only a handful of new local COVID-19 cases in WA this week, Mandurah is alarmingly the location of two of those.
Create a free account to read this article
or signup to continue reading
WA recorded just one new local case on Tuesday, two new local cases on Monday and three new local cases on Sunday, plus several of foreigners on cruise ships.
Figures updated by the WA Health Department on Wednesday show two of those six cases were Mandurah residents, bringing the city's tally to 29.
The department is no longer releasing exact numbers for all local government areas but Serpentine-Jarrahdale has at least four, Murray and Boddington recorded their first cases in the past week, leaving Waroona as the only unaffected Peel shire.
WA could wind back its tough restrictions as early as the start of May amid the low increase of coronavirus cases across the state.
The optimism is off the back of the low new cases. Total confirmed cases in WA were at 527 on Tuesday, including 296 people who have recovered and 32 currently in hospital.
But Premier Mark McGowan isn't about to open the interstate border.
"We're going to work on this over coming weeks to see what can be eased and can be tweaked, but I don't want to start ruling things in or out now," he told reporters on Tuesday.
"The restriction I'm not going to let up on, certainly in the near to medium term, is the interstate border."
Health Minister Roger Cook said on Monday the low numbers were encouraging but it was "not a time to be complacent".
"As you can see from the number we are tracking well, but...it's time to actually double our efforts to consolidate the gains that we've made to date and ensure that we continue to have these very low numbers throughout the community."
He said restrictions would be reviewed every month.
"We need to see a more sustained period of low numbers. I don't think anyone should expect anything. We're continuing to tell people for good reason they should continue to practice good hygiene and social distancing.
"The only exit strategy is a vaccine and there isn't one yet."
Only three $1000 spot fines were handed out by WA police during the Easter long weekend.
The Premier praised the behaviour of West Australians over the weekend but urged people to continue to follow the rules.
"If we get health advice that we can lift any of the restrictions, well then that's the time to do that.
"But up until then, [people should] do the right thing," he said.
Mr McGowan said 36,896 people were stopped at regional border check points over the long weekend.