• The three-day lockdown of Perth and the neighbouring Peel region will end as planned at midnight tonight.
• The state counted no new community cases of COVID-19 overnight, WA Premier Mark McGowan announced.
• But new interim restrictions will carry on for four days, over fears of unchecked COVID-19 cases in the community.
• Visit Business Insider Australia’s homepage for more stories.

The three-day lockdown of Perth and the neighbouring Peel region will lift as planned at midnight, Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan has announced, after the state registered no new locally-acquired cases of COVID-19 overnight.

But interim restrictions will carry on for four more days, due to lingering fears of undetected cases in the community.

Appearing in Perth Monday afternoon, McGowan said some 13,027 COVID-19 tests were conducted on Sunday, adding to a total of 29,963 since Friday.

The fact none of those tests have uncovered a new positive case means the lockdown — announced on Friday in response to a COVID-19 outbreak linked to a Perth quarantine hotel — means stay-at-home restrictions, business closures, and bans on home visitors will come to an end.

“I wish we didn’t have to go into lockdown,” McGowan said.

“But it has been necessary and it has worked.”

However, WA health authorities are waiting on the test results of 132 close contacts, and a number of identified casual contacts, are yet to receive a test result.

“We need to be cautious as we come out of lockdown as the virus could still be out there,” McGowan said.

As a result, stepped-down restrictions will come into place from midnight, with those measures slated to end 12.01am on Saturday.

Residents will be permitted to leave home for any reason, but masks will remain mandatory indoors, outdoors, and on public transportation, with an exception from primary school students.

Schools will reopen, along with hospitality, entertainment and retail businesses. However, nightclubs, indoor fitness facilities, and Perth’s Crown Casino will remain closed.

Universities will remain online-only for the interim period.

Patron occupancy will be capped at 20, with a maximum of one person per four square metres.

A 20-person limit will also apply to personal gatherings, both indoors and outdoors. Those organising weddings and funerals can apply for an exception to welcome as many as 100 guests.

Visits to hospitals, aged care facilities, and disability care facilities will be restricted, with an exception for compassionate reasons.

Community sports have the green light to continue, albeit without spectators.

And when asked about this Sunday’s blockbuster AFL derby between the West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers, slated to take place at Perth’s Optus Stadium, McGowan indicated a full crowd would not be possible.

“We’ll follow the health advice based on how test results emerge over the next 48-72 hours,” McGowan said.

“West Australians are resilient and we do what we do best, that is, we just get on with the job,” the Premier added.

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