Three fully vaccinated truck drivers from South Australia have tested positive for COVID-19 after spending time in Western Australia, with several locations in Perth's southern suburbs included in a list of exposure sites.
The cases stem from two different trucks that entered the state on December 9 carrying four drivers, with all testing negative for the virus at the border before being allowed in.
The first truck was carrying two drivers, who were in WA from December 9 to December 11.
Both returned positive PCR tests for COVID-19 after returning to South Australia.
"So it is possible both men were infectious during the three days that they were in Western Australia," Health Minister Roger Cook said.
The WA Health Department has published a list of exposure sites, but the list had not grown as of 4pm Wednesday, when there were no new cases of COVID recorded in the state.
These were the exposure sites as at 4pm on Wednesday:
- BP truckstop in Norseman, Thursday December 9, 10:30am-11:30am
- Moran's IGA in Coolgardie, Thursday December 9, 1:00pm-2:00pm
- Crust Pizza in Cannington, Thursday December 9, 8:30pm-9:00pm
- Dan Murphy's Cannington in Beckenham, Thursday December 9, 8:25pm-9:15pm
- Chemist Warehouse in Cannington, Friday December 10, 11:30am-12:10pm
- BP truckstop in Kewdale, Friday December 10, 12:00pm-1:30pm
- Domino's in Bentley, Friday December 10, 3:45pm-4:20pm
- Woolworths Bentley, Friday December 10, 3:30pm-4:30pm
- BP truckstop in Norseman, Saturday December 11, 2:30am-3:15am
One driver from second truck infected
Separately, one of two drivers who were in the other truck, which similarly entered WA on December 9, has also tested positive after returning to South Australia.
The driver and a colleague, who were both vaccinated, spent around 24 hours in WA.
One of the men tested positive after returning to South Australia, while the second driver has tested negative.
Mr Cook said contact tracers were working hard to identify potential exposure sites and contacts stemming from the second truck.
"The fact that these two truck drivers were in Western Australia for three days and went to a number of sites is obviously a cause for concern.
"So it is important that our contact tracing teams can get in touch with as many contacts as possible."
There had been seven close contacts identified of the drivers and 149 casual contacts as of Wednesday afternoon.
Negative tests had been recorded for 24 of those people, while 38 have been tested and are awaiting their results, and 94 are still being tested.
Tests urged for anyone at exposure sites
Under the WA government's rules, truck drivers must return a negative PCR test 72 hours prior to entering the state and a negative rapid antigen test at the border.
Mr Cook urged people to regularly check the list of exposure sites and get tested immediately if they had been at one of the sites during the relevant times.
He said there was nothing to suggest the two separate trucks were linked.
Mr Cook said contact tracing teams would be examining CCTV footage, and that the truck drivers should have been wearing masks at all times when outside of their trucks.
