Original article by Peter Martin
The West Australian – Page: Online : 17-Aug-22

The Western Australian government declared a state of emergency in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Premier Mark McGowan says the government may follow its interstate counterparts and enforce its remaining Covid rules such as mask mandates via legislation rather than its emergency powers. National Party MP Shane Love says it is time for McGowan to admit that the state of emergency is over and surrender these powers. WA reported 2,145 new infections and one death on Tuesday, and the number of active cases statewide has fallen to the lowest level since March. There were 7,145 new case and 24 deaths in NSW, and 4,858 new infections and 20 deaths in Victoria.

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET, NATIONAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA

Original article by Natasha Robinson
The Australian – Page: 5 : 10-Aug-22

Infectious diseases expert Professor Peter Collignon believes that Australia’s winter COVID-19 wave has peaked. Infectious diseases modeller Romain Ragonnet says barring the emergence of major new variants, future waves are likely to be smaller and less severe, and COVID-19 will eventually become a seasonal event like influenza. Just 26,746 new COVID-19 cases were reported nationwide on Tuesday, compared with 35,659 a week earlier. NSW reported 10,043 new cases and 25 deaths, while there were 6,380 new infections and 44 deaths in Victoria.

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Original article by Melissa Davey
The Guardian Australia – Page: Online : 17-Jun-22

Professor Margaret Hellard from the Burnet Institute has called for the reintroduction of a face mask mandate to help curb the spread of COVID-19. She has told a parliamentary inquiry into Victoria’s pandemic orders that Australia faces a COVID-19 death toll of 10,000 to 15,000 unless some measures are reinstated. Professor Jodie McVernon from the Doherty Institute in turn said that future COVID-19 measures need to be "reasonable and proportionate", and warned that without vaccines the nation’s death toll from the coronavirus would have been "catastrophic". NSW reported 9,117 new COVID-19 cases and 17 deaths on Wednesday; there were 7,889 new infections and 22 deaths in Victoria.

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THE MACFARLANE BURNET INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH LIMITED, UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE. PETER DOHERTY INSTITUTE FOR INFECTION AND IMMUNITY

Original article by Michael Bennet
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 27-Apr-22

The Western Australian government will relax more COVID-19 restrictions from 12.01am on Friday. Amongst other things, face masks will only by mandatory in high-risk indoor settings such as hospitals and aged-care homes, as well as public transport. Density and capacity limits for indoor venues will also be scrapped, and asymptomatic close contacts will no longer need to isolate. Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson concedes that the changes may result in higher case numbers and hospitalisations, although she says this can be managed. WA recorded 6,711 new cases and eight deaths on Wednesday; there were 9,849 new infections and 18 deaths in NSW, while Victoria reported 9,265 new cases and 15 deaths.

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH

Original article by Peter de Kruijff
WAtoday – Page: Online : 1-Mar-22

Western Australia recorded 1,140 new COVID-19 cases on Monday, and there are now 5,540 active cases in the state. Premier Mark McGowan has announced that level two restrictions will be introduced from 3 March, which will coincide with the reopening of the state’s borders; he says it is hoped that the new restrictions will be in place for no more than four weeks, adding that the state’s Omicron outbreak is expected to peak before the end of March. Meanwhile, NSW reported 5,856 new infections and six deaths on Monday, while there were 5,852 new cases and three deaths in Victoria.

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WESTERN AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PREMIER AND CABINET