[14] On 2 March, four new cases were reported, two of which were the first cases of community transmission of the virus. It was announced on 20March that three of 13passengers had tested positive for the coronavirus. [65] As of 31 March 2020, five of them had died, one in the Australian Capital Territory, two in Tasmania, one in New South Wales and one in Queensland. [55][56] From 7 January masks were only required in higher risk places, such as hospitals and public transport. Timeline of events which sparked Perth, Peel COVID-19 lockdown. South Australia: capped at 200. [133], On 27 July, the Prime Minister renamed the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission, formed on 25 March 2020 as the "National COVID-19 Commission Advisory Board (NCC)". Nev Power, the person tasked with Australia's economic recovery post-pandemic, likened WA's pandemic policies to "squashing an ant with a sledgehammer", but the defiance of the WA government to keep its state borders closed is overwhelmingly supported by West Australians who have been able to return to relative normality thanks to the state's virus-free bubble. After being restricted to take-away only since March, free standing cafes and restaurants, and those inside pubs and clubs, were allowed some sit-down dining. The scheme was later renamed "Dine & Discover NSW". [112] The same day restrictions were re-tightened in Victoria, the Western Australian Government announced the state would move into "Phase 4" from 27 June, permitting some of the most relaxed restrictions in the country. Residents in these postcodes had to comply with the four acceptable reasons to leave their houses: shopping for essentials; for medical or compassionate needs; exercise in compliance with the public gathering restriction of two people; and for work or education purposes. [4][5][6], Nine cases were recorded in January. [54] On 28 March 284 passengers had tested positive. Under the restrictions, masks remained mandatory indoors and outdoors in the Perth and Peel regions, unless people had a medical exemption, or were doing vigorous exercise outside. [97][98], On 15 May, South Australia became the second jurisdiction, after the ACT, to be free of any active cases;[99] however, on 26May, a woman returning from overseas who was granted exemption into South Australia from her hotel quarantine in Victoria tested positive for COVID-19. Schools and childcare centres remain open until the school holidays, though some jurisdictions have brought forward the end of the term. [69], On 1 April, the Western Australian State Government introduced intrastate travel restriction, limiting movements between the regions of Western Australia. Visitors to Perth or Peel from 6 January were required to wear a mask indoors if they had gone to another area. The current rules allow for: Social gatherings of up to 10 people, both indoors and outdoors. [53], On 24 March, one passenger from Ruby Princess had died and 133 on the ship had tested positive. [96], As of 15 May in New South Wales, some restrictions on public gatherings were eased. [46], On 27 June at mid-day, restrictions in the Perth and Peel regions were tightened for at least three days after a woman tested positive after she visited a known COVID-19 hotspot in Sydney on 19 June, returned to Perth on 20 June and tested positive on 26 June. Ireland has been in lockdown for nearly six weeks now but as of May 5, . Also on 16 March, the 2020 National Folk Festival in Canberra was cancelled.[37]. Perth and Peel residents will be allowed to leave their homes on Saturday, after being locked down for four days. [79] On 27 and 28 April, four residents of the home died in less than 24 hours, bringing to eleven the number of residents who had died from COVID-19 since 11 April. [114][115][116], On 2 July, the Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced the "Judicial Inquiry into Hotel Quarantine Program". Internal travel restrictions reduced from 13 regions to 4. The remaining 10 per cent was linked to another similar breach at the Stamford Plaza. (ABC News: Andrew O'Connor) . [38][39][40], In mid-June, there was controversy when the Western Australia Police accessed data from the SafeWA contact tracing app as part of a murder investigation. [9] The number repatriated from the ship are included in the state totals as follows: Qld (3), SA (1), Vic (4), WA (2, one of whom died on 1 March). A week before each roadmap stage, the government will decide whether restrictions can be lifted. "[145] Also on 14 August in Tasmania, the 2021 Australian Wooden Boat Festival was cancelled. On March 24, 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for a complete lockdown of the entire nation for 21 days in an effort to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools within the lockdown area (which were anticipated to open the following day) remained closed and reopened the following week. [137], By 1 August, Australia's national death toll exceeded 200. [102], On 19 May, in New South Wales, another resident of Newmarch House nursing home died from coronavirus. [35] In response to the lockdown, Air New Zealand canceled a flight between Auckland and Perth. Instead of entering mandatory quarantine at their own expense, the women were active in the community and infected three other confirmed cases. The outbreak, which includes 12 cases to date, could not be ruled out as having been sparked by two women who allegedly lied on their border declaration passes to enter Queensland in late July after visiting Melbourne. [28], On 31 January 2021, a quarantine hotel security guard at the Four Points by Sheraton in Perth tested positive. [63], From 31 January, proof of vaccination was required for entry to hospitals, aged care facilities, hospitality and indoor entertainment venues across the state. [202][203] In response, on 31 December, Victoria lowered allowed household guests to 15, and mandated masks indoors anywhere other than in Victorians' own homes.[204]. There will be exemptions for health, emergency, defence and policing personnel. [7], By 6 February, three returning members from a tour group in Wuhan were identified in Queensland. More than 400 people were arrested and nearly 400 penalties issued. This included those who had been in Perth or Peel since 17 April. FILE - A passenger jet makes its final approach for landing into Sydney Airport, Apr. Western Australia has recorded another locally acquired COVID-19 on the second day of a four-day lockdown in Perth and Peel. Medical advice said there was a "significant risk" if members were to return to Canberra from all over Australia. We entered phase one ahead of the national government announcements made on Friday 8 May, and we will remain in phase one until next Monday 18 May. A lockdown from 6 pm on 31 January to 6 pm on 5 February was declared for the Perth, Peel and South West regions. Start date End date Length (days) Start date End date Length (days) Start date End date Length (days) . . Curtin University infectious disease expert Archie Clements believed the achievement was both good luck and good management. For Perth and Peel regions, the 150 person capacity for events applies. Mark McGowan praised the Commonwealth for its withdrawal and indicated the Western Australian government would continue to fight the case. The patient was tested and received treatment in Melbourne. [167], On 24 October, Victoria recorded 98 active cases statewide; this was the first time since 19 June in which Victoria had under 100 cases. [196], By 20 December 30 new cases were reported in Sydney, with 28 being linked to the Avalon RSL club and Avalon bowling club within the Northern Beaches cluster. [17], On 4 March, a second death was reported, a 95-year-old woman dying at a Sydney aged-care facility. Schools opened for term 2 on the originally scheduled date, 28 April. More on: Diseases and Disorders Perth Related Content A timeline of COVID-19 in Western Australia Live Stories [159], Canberra's 2021 Summernats 34 car festival was "delayed" in late September 2020 until January 2022. [184][185] Also on 27 November, the 2021 National Multicultural Festival in Canberra was postponed from its usual February dates to " by late 2021". CQV is part of the government's response to the COVID-19 Hotel Quarantine Enquirys' interim report. [62][63] When the cruise departed on 18 April 79 of Western Australia's 541 cases were passengers and crew off the Artania with one death acknowledged as being a crew member from the Philippines. Here's what that means", "Emergency Management Amendment (Temporary COVID-19 Provisions) Bill 2022", "Coronavirus outbreak sees WA events cancelled as COVID-19 pandemic shuts down festivals", "FAIRBRIDGE FESTIVAL First reveal of 2021 return", "Perth Skyworks to go ahead next Australia Day despite coronavirus disruption risks", "Skyworks 2021 axed by City of Perth amid coronavirus concerns", "Perth's Australia Day Skyworks cancelled due to COVID-19 fears", "Perth Skyworks 2021 Now Cancelled Due To COVID-19 Concerns", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=COVID-19_pandemic_in_Western_Australia&oldid=1127801440. Day 1 - Friday 13 March Spectators queue outside Albert Park in Melbourne. [49], Also on 19 March, Qantas confirmed it would suspend about 60% of domestic flights,[50] put two-thirds of its employees on leave, suspend all international flights and ground more than 150 of its aircraft from the end of March until at least 31May 2020 following expanded government travel restrictions in response to COVID-19. The day before, at 3pm, it was announced that 2,315 of the 5,687 confirmed coronavirus cases had recovered. Michael Traill The West Australian. [4], Western Australia confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on 21 February 2020, a man who was evacuated off the Diamond Princess cruise ship and flown to Darwin. And there is still the danger of another lockdown as 123 days remain before all adults are due a first dose. People were given a 48-hour warning to return to their home region. [41], On 23 June, Western Australia removed the 2-square-metre (22sqft) rule and 75% capacity limit for all venues, removing all capacity restrictions on venues. When the virus was first identified in China in late 2019, lockdown seemed extreme. [144], On 14 August in the Northern Territory, the National NAIDOC Awards and the Awards ceremony, due for November in Mparntwe (Alice Springs) after already being postponed from 11 July, were cancelled due to the " uncertainty of travel restrictions, quarantining, and physical distancing requirements. It provides a comprehensive overview of the announcements made, but is not designed to be exhaustive. China accounted for 3000 of the deaths at the time. Citizens are being asked to stay at home and practice social and physical distancing as much as possible. This means the whole of Western Australia returns to the pre-lockdown conditions, as experienced prior to 6pm on Sunday, 31 January. [2] On 15 March, Premier Mark McGowan declared a state of emergency in Western Australia, along with a formal public health emergency. From 31 January, foreign nationals returning from China were required to have spent a fortnight in a third country before being allowed into Australia. [2] On 11 April, Western Australia recorded its last case of unknown community transmission for 2020. This page was last edited on 16 December 2022, at 18:50. [36] The State of Emergency was subsequently extended[citation needed] (see below). In a televised address to the nation, the PM said that even those nations with the best medical facilities could not contain the virus and that social distancing is the only option to mitigate it. [55], On 25 March, the National COVID-19 Coordination Commission (NCCC) was established by the Prime Minister, as a strategic advisory body for the national response to the pandemic. [130], On 12 July, the free Federally funded childcare introduced on 2 April 2020[72] ended, and the Federal Child Care Subsidy was reintroduced. The immediate circuit breaker lockdown has been introduced on the best of public health advice due to a fast evolving situation in Western Australia following a third COVID-19 . [68], On the evening of 31 March, six baggage handlers from Adelaide Airport had tested positive. WA has had at least six people breach the states quarantine measures, although none were infected with coronavirus at the time. Two of his seven housemates, both food delivery drivers, then tested positive. [7], On 11 March 2020, the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic. When he tested positive, he was flown by the Royal Flying Doctor Service to Perth, and was isolated at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital. [73], On 5 April, New South Wales Police Force launched a criminal investigation into whether the operator of Ruby Princess, Carnival Australia, broke the Biosecurity Act 2015 (Cwth) and New South Wales state laws, by deliberately concealing COVID-19 cases. [194], By 19 December 23 new cases were reported in the Northern Beaches area. Western Australia enters five-day lockdown from 6pm tonight Sunday, 31 January 2021 Fast evolving situation with a hotel quarantine worker testing COVID-19 positive Five-day lock down starting 6pm today (Sunday, January 31, 2021) until 6pm on Friday, February 5 for Perth, Peel and the South-West A fine of A$200 applied to those not complying, though there were some exemptions. [2] ", "Western Australia records five new local COVID-19 cases as exposure sites grow", "Explainer: why are Covid infection rates in Australia so high compared with other countries? [165], On 16 October a trans-Tasman travel bubble went into effect, whereby travellers from New Zealand were able to go to New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory without having to quarantine upon arrival. There are no declarations in place relating to COVID-19 in Western Australia. [58], As of 5January2022[update] the Northern Territory was classed as medium risk, while New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Victoria were classed as extreme risk. 31 March 2020 COVID-19 update - 31 March 2020 The Department of Health has reported nine new cases of COVID-19 overnight, bringing the State's total to 364. [38] He had already received his first dose of COVID vaccine. [citation needed] On 19 May, the 19th resident died from coronavirus. [13] On 6 April, school holidays started one week earlier than planned. Legislation was introduced to the WA Parliament on 15 June to make such access illegal. [30], In response to the lockdown, health authorities in the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, the Northern Territory, and Victoria declared the affected areas to be COVID-19 hotspots. Travel from New South Wales and Victoria was already restricted, so only travellers from South Australia and Tasmania are not required to quarantine. From midnight on Wednesday March 25, 2020, the following restrictions are in place. Learn. 79passengers had tested positive for the virus by 1 April. The messages, leaked by journalist Isabel Oakeshott, who was a ghost-writer on Mr Hancock's Pandemic Diaries, show he expressed the fear on November 1, 2020, a day after he announced a national . [33], Also on 5 February, McGowan announced a A$43million package to assist small businesses and charities in WA who suffered financially during the lockdown, in the form of a A$500 offset on their electricity bill. By the time WA emerged from its toughest period of restrictions, which lasted between March 29 and April 28, it had unknowingly eliminated community transmission of the virus after previously recording 16 cases of unknown transmission. [155], On 13 September, Melbourne moved from Stage Four to the First Step of the roadmap for reopening, which allowed for slightly reduced restrictions; such changes included the implementation of social bubbles which allowed those living alone or single parents to have one other person in their home, the reopening of playgrounds and outdoor fitness equipment, libraries allowed to open for contactless click and collect, as well as a reduction of the curfew by an hour. The Perth and the Peel region will be plunged into four-day lockdown, at a minimum, from 12.01am on Tuesday morning after the northern suburbs recorded its third positive coronavirus case since Sunday.. Premier Mark McGowan described the lockdown as a "circuit breaker" to help slow the virus' spread. In response the Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan labelled Palmer an enemy of the state. [22], On 9 March, the principal of Carey Baptist Grammar confirmed that one of the teachers at their Kew campus was infected with the virus. 3:35am Apr 27, 2021. I think [the soft lockdown] was the right thing to do at the time because it wasnt clear that we had dodged the bullet, so from that perspective, it was good management, he said. [29] West Australian health minister Roger Cook has informed the public that the Western Australian Department of health is postponing upgrades at Peel Health Campus to accommodate patients with the virus. Western Australia (WA) confirmed its first case of COVID-19 on 21 February 2020, and its first death on 1 March. When the app was introduced in November 2020, the WA Health Minister said that only tracing personnel would have access to the data. [134], Also on 20 July, it was announced that the Federal Coronavirus Supplement and JobKeeper subsidy would be extended, but in altered form at a lower rate, beyond 24 September. Following a pandemic being declared by the World Health Organisation on March 11, the Commonwealth enacted a raft of unprecedented measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 including closing the international border, mandating hotel quarantine for returning Australians and whittling non-essential gathering limits down to just two people. [91][92] The number had increased to 75 by 9 May,[93][92] 88 by 13 May,[94] and 90 by 14 May. His announcements comes as WA's confirmed COVID-19 cases jumped by 20 overnight to 140, as at 3pm today. A lockdown from 6pm on 31January to 6pm on 5February was declared for the Perth, Peel and South West regions. This is more than a third from the official number reported so far, Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Paul Kelly stating, "I think it is important. [143], On 7 August, an easing of internal WA restrictions was deferred to at least 29August due to an outbreak in Victoria. 4 March 2020: Government of India orders a nationwide lockdown for 21 days. In response, Premier Gladys Berejiklian imposed social gathering restrictions across Greater Sydney, the Blue Mountains, and the Central Coast areas including a ten-person limit on private gatherings and restrictions on dancing and singing. Premier Mark McGowan announced the Perth and Peel region "can return to pre-lockdown life" after that date. [80], Also on 11 April, the South Australian state government announced its own A$350million COVID-19 related economic stimulus measures. Peter Dutton the Home Affairs Minister for Australia was diagnosed in Queensland. [42], Due to the growing Bondi cluster in Sydney, from 11am on 23 June, Western Australia reinstated a hard border with NSW. [113], On 30 June, the Victorian Government re-enforced local lockdowns across 10 different Melbourne postcodes. 2020 (Image: Steve . For the following four days some restrictions such as: mandatory face masks in public; some venue closures; and number restrictions for public and private gatherings, remained in force, but travel beyond the Perth and Peel areas was allowed. When the first case arrived in WA on February 21, the state was already in a strong position to tackle it through its geographical isolation from COVID-ravaged countries and its lack of international visitors. 2 square metre rule removed, and all venues may operate at 100% capacity. The cluster grew by three additional family members on 31 December. [70], On 2 April, the number of cases in Victoria exceeded 1,000, including over 100 healthcare workers. [173][174], On 1 November 2020, Australia recorded zero cases of community transmission nationwide for the first time since 9 June 2020. The Northern Territory. The state is also on alert for possible cases linked to the NT mine worker, with at least three flights from Perth carrying 252 workers from the Granites mine between June 18-25. In addition, the state government during a critically timed month-long soft lockdown in WA in April also closed the regional and state borders, shut schools a week early and ordered interstate travellers to self-isolate on arrival. In a statement, David Walsh stated "I know that [the cancellation] will murder an already massacred tourism environment, but I feel like I have no choice. Major supermarkets reintroduced limits on meat purchases. Comments. [120], On 17 November 2020 the NSW Government announced the "Out and About" economic stimulus voucher scheme. All non-essential City of Perth services will be closed during this time. Lockdown extended across the nation until 3 May, with a conditional relaxation after 20 April for the regions where the spread has been contained. In WA, three hotel quarantine security guards became infected with coronavirus, but their infections did not lead to an outbreak. [126], On 6 July, the Victorian and NSW governments announced that their interstate border would be closed from the start of 8 July. South Africa will enter a nationwide lockdown for 21-days with effect from midnight on Thursday 26 March 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa said. [124] The Victorian ombudsman later found the lockdown of the public housing towers breached human rights laws, tabling her report in Victoria's Parliament on 17 December 2020. Perth was deserted as social distancing measures took hold. (ABC News: Gian De Poloni) "There are a number of interrelated effects, but it ultimately all comes back mainly to those necessary restrictions that governments have put in place to protect the broader community," he said. This article documents the chronology and epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2, the virus which causes the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia during 2020. [74], On 5 April, the Queen of Australia addressed the Commonwealth in a televised broadcast, in which she asked people to "take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return".