Western Australia records seven new local cases of COVID-19, new mask rules for Australia Day

Western Australia has recorded seven new local cases of COVID-19, with new mask restrictions in place for Australia Day.

Three of the seven local cases are known contacts of previously reported cases and were potentially infectious in the community, Premier Mark McGowan said.

The four other local cases are not yet linked to any previous cases, however remain under investigation by contact tracing teams.

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Mr McGowan said there were possibly two clusters of COVID-19 in Western Australia, one of which had not been linked to an existing Omicron case.

"We are continuing to monitor those closely," Mr McGowan said.

He added contact tracing efforts were underway to track the source of each community case.

"There is a missing link," Mr McGowan said.

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Mask wearing will be required in WA both indoors and outdoors on Australia Day, Mr McGowan said.

"We have received new health advice," Mr McGowan said. 

He added vaccination rates remained high across the country.

Of those 12 and over, 96.4 per cent have received one dose of vaccine, 89 per cent have been double vaccinated, and 27.2 per cent of people have had their booster shot.

WA 'will open at some point in time'

Mr McGowan announced last night the state's hard border will remain in place in response to the threat of the Omicron variant.

The state was due to re-open on February 5.

While the hard border controls will remain, there will be more exemptions, especially for compassionate cases.

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Mr McGowan addressed disappointment that Western Australia will not open to the rest of Australia on February 5 as planned.

He said that triple-dose vaccination rates were not yet high enough to open borders.

"The thing about opening the borders over here is that we don't know when it will peak there," Mr McGowan said.

"When we made the decision in December to open February 5, we said we would open if there was not an emergency and a catastrophe.

"In eastern states, we have now both an emergency and a catastrophe."

A review will reassess when it will be safe to open borders.

"Western Australia will open at some point in time, depending on the review," Mr McGowan said.

"Many people are happy with the decision we've made."

Mr McGowan said despite postponing border openings, Western Australia's hospitals were currently equipped to cope with COVID-19 outbreaks.

"This is not like an episode of Yes Minister, where there are empty hospitals with no patients," Mr McGowan said.

"We're recruiting staff from around the world. We have the protocols in place for COVID to come in.

"We have a system that is well prepared.

"Our hospitals are as ready as they can be."