Western Australia has recorded only one new COVID-19 case overnight, taking the state's total to 545.
Key points:
- Perth had no new cases for the first time since WA's testing regime began
- More ventilated beds will be made available ahead of the flu season
- A flight carrying remaining Artania passengers and crew has left Perth
WA Health Minister Roger Cook said a 60-year-old man who was a close contact of a confirmed case had tested positive in the state's Goldfields.
He was identified as part of contact tracing undertaken by the Goldfields Public Health unit and has been in isolation since April 8.
It is the first day since the state's testing regime began where there have been no new cases in the Perth metropolitan area.
There are now 426 recovered cases across WA, with 48 of them from regional areas.
A total of 28 COVID-19 patients remain in Perth hospitals, including six in intensive care.
Mr Cook said the continued low numbers of new cases gave the health system more time to "take on anything the COVID-19 virus may throw at us".
"We've had a number of days now of delightful and very encouraging numbers, however we cannot be complacent," he said.
"But what we have done is bought ourselves time, precious time."
Extra ventilated beds to help deal with 'surge'
The Minister also announced a plan to increase the number of ventilated beds in WA if they were required.
The state had about 111 ventilated beds available across public hospitals at the start of the outbreak, with a handful currently being used for COVID-19 patients.
But Mr Cook said this demand may increase as winter and the peak flu season approach, and some ventilators would be moved around the state and around hospitals.
"This plan represents our ability to deal with a surge in patients and includes being able to access all of our ICU beds and increase capacity as required," he said.
Mr Cook said it was expected to eventually bring more than 600 ventilated beds into service.
The Government will also utilise private hospitals by either transferring public patients to private beds with ventilators, or temporarily taking private hospital ventilators to public hospitals.
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The Health Department's Liz MacLeod, who is the clinical lead on WA's COVID-19 response, said it would ensure there was the capacity and agility to meet any surge in demand.
She said the department was carrying out additional workforce training to provide sufficient staff.
Artania charter flight bound for Bangkok
Earlier today, a flight carrying about 58 remaining Artania cruise ship passengers and crew who were staying in Perth hotels left the city bound for Bangkok.
The charter flight was organised by the cruise liner's operator and took off as the vessel continued its journey to Europe.
The Artania had been docked in Fremantle for more than three weeks after first reporting COVID-19-like sickness onboard.
The cruise ship left Western Australia yesterday after 400 crew and 11 passengers still on board completed a 14-day quarantine period.
At least 81 of WA's 545 cases of COVID-19 have been linked to the vessel, with 11 crew and passengers still in Perth hospitals as of yesterday.
Premier Mark McGowan said yesterday he was pleased to see the cruise ship saga coming to an end.
"The Artania caused me sleepless nights, so I'm very pleased that she sailed, and I'm very pleased that we solved the problem," he said.
"There was no doubt we were facing a situation that could easily have turned into a major health crisis, one we would have lost control over and could have led to our hospitals being overrun with sick people from cruise ships.
"It is a credit to everyone involved that we are now in this position."
What you need to know about coronavirus:
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMicGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA0LTE5L3dhLXJlY29yZHMtanVzdC1vbmUtbmV3LWNvcm9uYXZpcnVzLWNhc2Utd2l0aC1zdGF0ZS10b3RhbC1hdC01NDUvMTIxNjI2NjLSASZodHRwOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMjE2MjY2Mg?oc=5
2020-04-19 05:14:18Z
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