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People arriving in Western Australia who are caught breaching a directive to self-isolate for two weeks face up to a $50,000 fine as the state seeks to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Key points:
- Overseas arrivals are being ordered to self-isolate for 14 days
- One more positive coronavirus test in WA has taken the total to 18
- Panic buying has increased across Perth with shelves stripped bare
WA Premier Mark McGowan made the announcement following a meeting of WA's Security and Emergency Committee of Cabinet in Perth, saying the extreme measures were designed to protect the community.
It came just hours after Prime Minister Scott Morrison revealed anyone arriving in Australia from overseas would be forced to self-isolate for 14 days from midnight (AEDT).
In WA, the order will be enforced under the state's Public Health Act and the Emergency Management Act and will involve penalties ranging from $5,000 to $50,000.
Mr McGowan said he was treating the outbreak with extreme seriousness, with a state of emergency to be declared from midnight.
"This is an emergency situation we are dealing with at the moment and we are doing everything we can to protect the public," he said.
WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said the laws provided the State Government and authorities with the appropriate powers to enforce the penalties.
"We don't want this to be a punitive process. But for the public's safety, we will prioritise whatever is needed to minimise any risk to the public's health," he said.
"These are necessary times because it's an extraordinary situation."
In Queensland, people who have been told to self-isolate for reasons related to coronavirus will be fined $13,000 if they are caught not complying.
Panic buying intensifies as shoppers stock up
As the new measures were being announced, the rush for groceries and other household supplies increased even further in Perth amid a fresh wave of panic buying.
Long queues of shoppers formed at supermarkets across the city, including in Warwick and Morley in the northern suburbs, as hundreds of customers gathered waiting for stores to open.
Shelves were soon stripped bare of toilet paper, tissues and paper towel, and customers also filled their trolleys with food and other items, with sales of rice, pasta, flour and mince now among those restricted.
University student Renae Carey from Morley said she was taken aback by the size of the queues.
"It's really chaotic in all these stores, everywhere," she said.
"We aren't able to get the toilet roll and tissue paper that we need. We came here at 11:00am, when the store opened.
"We didn't expect it to be this busy. It's quite confronting."
Michelle Emmelhainz from Dianella said she was prevented from buying mince due to purchase limits set by the supermarkets.
"I wanted some mince — chicken, turkey and beef — but I wasn't allowed to have the whole three," Ms Emmelhainz said.
"I use that each week, but obviously I can't do that this week.
"It's just very strange and I just don't understand why this mania on normal items [is happening]. It's not a nice experience, put it that way."
Mr McGowan said the State Government would be working with major retailers to ensure elderly and vulnerable people were able to buy food and essentials.
"I understand people's concerns, but I'd just urge everyone to be reasonable. There is no need to buy three months' worth of groceries," he said.
In Victoria, Woolworths has moved to cancel delivery services out of its stores "until further notice" after experiencing high levels of demand for groceries over the weekend, a spokesperson said.
WA coronavirus total rises by one to 18
WA Health Minister Roger Cook said another West Australian had contracted COVID-19, bringing the state's total to 18.
He said the woman aged in her 60s tested positive after travelling overseas.
Mr Cook said been more than 5,500 tests had been undertaken so far between GPs and COVID-19 fever clinics which opened in Perth earlier this week.
There has been no known community-based transmission of the virus to date in WA.
Mr McGowan said rules concerning remote communities across the state would be discussed to protect Aboriginal communities who were "especially vulnerable to this illness".
He said he understood there had been calls to close schools in WA, but he did not believe it was necessary yet.
Your questions on coronavirus answered:
"I don't think it is anywhere near that point at this time," he said.
"We have an agreement that we will monitor the situation, but if a child tests positive for coronavirus, that child would obviously need to self-isolate and at that time, the school would have to close so we can test whoever has been in contact with that child.
"If absolutely necessary, we can rule out those online learning materials for families."
Cruise ship passengers left in limbo
American cruise ship passengers have been left in international limbo after disembarking in the northern WA town of Broome just an hour before the Federal Government announced a ban.
Amongst other measures to try to minimise the spread of coronavirus, the Prime Minister has banned international cruise ships from docking in Australia for the next 30 days.
The news came as more than 200 travellers from the luxury cruise ship Crystal Serenity were catching a bus from Broome Port to Cable Beach.
It is not the only cruise ship docked in WA to be caught up in the ban, with the Queen Mary 2 also berthed in Fremantle.
Most passengers from the Crystal Serenity took the news with good humour, saying there were worse places to be stranded indefinitely than on their luxury ship.
The group were on a day trip in Broome and were scheduled to visit Geraldton this week before finishing their trip and flying home from Perth.
Some of the group said they would consider staying in Broome and travelling home direct, a plan complicated by the fact their passports and luggage were still on the cruise ship.
Others said they would return to the cruise ship and remain onboard indefinitely, despite the confusion around what country will eventually accept them and allow them to disembark again.
University of Notre Dame begins online classes
The University of Notre Dame in WA has announced it will be delivering online classes to some of its students at its Fremantle campus in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
In a message sent to its nursing and midwifery students, the university stated that all lectures, tutorials and labs would be delivered online from tomorrow.
What the experts are saying about coronavirus:
Students were advised not to attend campus and complete their assessments online.
The university's arts and science students were also told some classes may move to online this week.
Curtin University is discussing alternative plans for teaching if it is required to close.
Topics: infectious-diseases-other, states-and-territories, government-and-politics, respiratory-diseases, health, diseases-and-disorders, emergency-planning, perth-6000, wa
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