A crew member on an iron ore bulk carrier in Port Hedland has returned a "weak positive" result during an initial coronavirus test, just one day after another ship with a COVID-19 outbreak departed the Western Australian port.
Health Minister Roger Cook said a seafarer on board the Vega Dream, a bulk iron ore carrier, started to feel unwell on Sunday morning and was transferred off the ship to Hedland Health Campus.
Samples were being flown to Perth to establish whether the crew member was definitely infected with COVID-19, Mr Cook added.
The suspected case follows an outbreak on board another cargo ship, the Patricia Oldendorff.
It culminated in 18 crew members — of the 21 on board — becoming infected.
The Health Department said the Vega Dream crew member was expected to have COVID-19, but further testing was required.
'No cause for concern': Health Minister
Mr Cook said there was no risk to the 19 other crew members on board the ship, adding he was hopeful the vessel would leave the port today.
"At this stage, we do not have any reason to believe there is any cause for concern, either for the other crew members, who are all reporting well, or for the Port Hedland community," Mr Cook said.
"Every precaution is taken in these situations to make sure that we look after the patient in question, but also all those people around them to ensure there is no spread of the infection."
The remaining crew have not disembarked the ship.
"It carries important cargo for the Western Australian economy, and we need to make sure we take the opportunity to keep that ship moving," Mr Cook said.
The Vega Dream had sailed to Port Hedland from Shanghai, via Manila, during a 16-day voyage.
"Any interaction with the international community represents an element of risk," Mr Cook said.
"What we have to do is actually manage that risk.
"We are well tested in these measures nowadays, we understand all the avenues in which this disease can be exposed to our community, and we understand all the measures we need to take to protect the WA community."
Meanwhile, two new COVID-19 cases — returned overseas travellers from India and the UK — were reported in WA overnight.
Both new cases remain in quarantine.
