AAP
Victoria must reduce its coronavirus community transmission to virtually zero before Western Australia reopens its borders, the state’s chief health officer says.
Plans to reopen WA’s interstate borders on August 8 have been shelved amid a fresh outbreak of cases in several Melbourne hotspots.
There are now 288 active cases in Victoria, with 271 believed to have come from community transmission.
WA Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson on Monday said he wouldn’t be advising the state government to reopen borders until Victoria’s numbers significantly improved.
WA had five active cases as of Sunday, all in hotel quarantine, with only the steady return of travellers from overseas keeping WA’s numbers above zero.
But with most restrictions on gatherings now lifted, Dr Robertson urged West Australians to remain vigilant and maintain good hygiene practices.
Queensland is expected to make an announcement on Tuesday about a planned border re-opening on July 10. It is expected the surge in cases in Victoria will factor into that decision.
It has been more than a week since Queensland recorded a new case of coronavirus, with just two active cases remaining in the state.
