The Western Australian Government has introduced a new COVID-19 testing protocol for overseas arrivals in hotel quarantine after a reappraisal of the existing system.
The ramped-up regime will see all international returned passengers tested on days one, five and 13 of their quarantine period.
In the past, people had been tested just twice, on days two and 12.
WA Premier Mark McGowan said the extra tests would allow authorities to identify any COVID-positive travellers earlier and ensure people were COVID-free when they left quarantine.
"That's one additional test over the time they're in hotel quarantine," Mr McGowan said.
"The reason for that is our test results come through quicker now, our systems have improved, and that means we can test a person just the day before they leave rather than two days before they leave hotel quarantine.
"It's a different safety measure we've put in place."
New regime in wake of outbreaks
The changes come after recent outbreaks that originated within quarantine hotels in the Perth CBD.
Three hotels that were used for quarantining returning passengers — the Mercure, the Novotel Langley and the Sheraton Four Points — are no longer accepting international arrivals and either had been cleared or were in the process of being cleared, the Premier said.
"As of tomorrow [Monday] we will be out of those three hotels that were deemed to be higher risk, so that reduces the pressure and stress on the system," Mr McGowan added.
However, the Novotel Langley will be recommissioned in the coming weeks to house low-risk seasonal agricultural and horticultural workers from Tonga and Vanuatu.
