Several Australian states and territories have imposed border restrictions on travellers from Western Australia (WA) on Monday after a quarantine security guard tested positive to COVID-19 and triggered a hard lockdown in the state.
Local authorities said the man could have the highly infectious COVID-19 strain that was initially found in Britain, and the whole metropolitan area of WA's capital city of Perth, Peel region and South West region entered into a five-day lockdown since 6:00 pm on Sunday.
Several states and territories acted swiftly to declare the lockdown regions in WA as COVID-19 hotspots and introduced travel restrictions.
Queensland Health Ministry said anyone who has been in metropolitan Perth, Peel or the South West region of WA since January 25 would be required to go into 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine when arriving at the sunshine state.
Besides, travellers who have been to those high-risk areas but are already in Queensland should get tested and isolate until they get a negative test.
The state of Victoria went further to restrict any new arrivals from the lockdown regions in WA from Sunday night.
"As of 9:00 pm Victorian (AEDT) time on Sunday, the Perth metropolitan area, the Peel region and the South West region of WA have moved from a green zone to a red zone," Victoria's Department of Health and Human Services said in a statement on Monday.
"If you have been in one of these currently listed WA red zones since January 25, you will not be allowed to enter Victoria without an exception, exemption or permitted worker permit."
Travellers who came from the area and had already arrived in Victoria were informed to get tested and remain isolated until they receive a negative test.
The New South Wales (NSW) government also issued a new public health order late Sunday to place travellers from WA under the same "stay-at-home" restrictions as they would have faced had they stayed in WA.
"Any travellers who have been at places of concern will be required to be tested and isolate for 14 days if they attended any of the named venues," NSW Health said in a statement.
Any people who have been in any of the named local government areas since January 25 will be required to get tested within 48 hours of arrival in NSW. They will also have to stay at home for five days until 9:00 pm on Friday.
Passengers who arrived in Sydney on a flight from Perth last evening were screened for COVID-19 symptoms and none of them reported being at any of the venues of concern in WA. (/Xinhua)
( With inputs from ANI )
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