Western Australia has recorded two new local COVID-19 cases, both linked to a French backpacker who tested positive to the virus earlier this week.
The cases are in addition to the five announced on Friday, bringing the total number of locally acquired cases to seven.
A spokesperson for WA Health said testing had confirmed the 25-year-old backpacker, who arrived in Perth from Queensland on December 12, has the Delta variant.
"All cases related to this outbreak can be assumed to also be Delta," the spokesperson said.
There were two other cases reported overnight. They are overseas travellers who are in hotel quarantine.
There are now 18 active cases in WA — 15 in hotel quarantine and three in self-quarantine.
The number of exposure sites continues to grow, with nine new locations added on Christmas Day.
They include the Fremantle Village Caravan Park and several shops at the Warwick Grove shopping centre.
Dozens of backpackers from the Old Fire Station hostel in Fremantle were moved into hotel quarantine in the Perth CBD last night after it was locked down.
It is believed all residents were tested and transported by buses to hotel accommodation, where they are expected to isolate until January 3.
About 100 guests from the backpackers had also attended an event at the Perth Mess Hall, which was one of the locations visited by the French backpacker last Sunday night.
Busselton Police have charged a 25-year-old woman for failing to comply with a direction to isolate after she attended the event.
Police allege the Beaconsfield woman went to Yallingup Beach yesterday when she was supposed to be isolating until she received a negative COVID test result.
Western Australia further tightened its border with Queensland and South Australia over concerns about a rise in the number of infections in the eastern states.
From midnight, those states were reclassified from medium to high risk.
The unvaccinated French backpacker is believed to have been infectious since December 16 and to have visited several nightclubs in the city as well as busy supermarkets in Mirrabooka.
The man's partner and his three housemates have all tested negative.
WA health said it was working to identify more contacts and confirm more exposure sites, having so far identified 531 close contacts and 982 casual contacts.
The number of West Australians tested at state-run and private clinics dropped from 10,267 on Thursday to 8,606 on Friday.
WA Premier Mark McGowan took to Facebook to thank everyone who has "done the right thing" by getting tested.
"And thank you to everyone on our front line, working around the clock to keep West Australians safe — they are doing a tremendous job in challenging circumstances."
Wastewater testing ramped up
WA Department of Health Acting Chief Health Officer Paul Armstrong said testing at wastewater treatment plants in metropolitan and regional areas would be increased as part of a "multi-pronged" effort to track the virus.
Wastewater surveillance will also be undertaken in the Ngaanyatjarra Lands in the Goldfields in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in the Northern Territory.
"Specifically, samples may detect COVID-19 in the community that either hasn't been diagnosed yet, or from people who have recently recovered from the disease and are no longer infectious."
Wastewater testing in Kununurra and Halls Creek will be extended for a further six months following an initial four-week trial.
WA Health is also expanding its PCR testing capacity, including boosting operating hours of clinics over the Christmas period.
With the temperature expected to reach 44 degrees Celsius on Sunday, people who are going to get tested are advised to plan ahead and bring a hat or umbrella, sunscreen and water.
The mercury peaked at 42.8 degrees at 3.58pm, eclipsing the previous Christmas Day temperature record of 42C in 1968.
Mr McGowan yesterday said he expected case numbers to rise as testing continued in response to the cluster linked to the backpacker.
"This is the most likely event to have community spread of the virus in WA that we're unable to crush and kill because it's the Delta variant," he said.
"The person in question has been to a whole bunch of venues, he's spread it to a whole bunch of other young people at those venues."
While no restrictions have been placed on Christmas celebrations, masks continue to be mandatory in all public indoor settings including workplaces, shopping centres, hospitality venues and public transport.
Several major events have also been cancelled, while entertainment venues deemed high risk have also been closed.
Further restrictions on licensed venues were also announced yesterday, with pubs and bars now only being allowed to offer seated services.
The rules are in place until 6am on Tuesday, December 28.
"We want to keep Christmas as normal as possible for West Australians," Mr McGowan said.
"The seated service only rule for the next four nights allows for family Christmas lunches and dinners to continue safely as planned."
