South West COVID cases almost double overnight

The South West recorded almost 100 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, almost double the cases from the previous day and the biggest increase the region has seen. The jump in figures follows the first long weekend the region has welcomed interstate and international travelers since the pandemic began, the increase in visitors also bringing with it a raft of new exposure sites. WA Health reported 95 new cases overnight, after recording 59 new cases on Tuesday. The region’s new cases are among the 3594 new cases recorded Wednesday morning. There are currently 15,750 active cases in Western Australia, 337 of these in the South West. 67 people are being treated for COVID-19 in hospital, though none of these are in ICU. WA Health added several of the region’s popular venues to the list of new exposure sites from the long weekend. Education facilities and accommodation providers have also been added to the list, many of these exposures occurring before the weekend but only added to the exposure list this week. ECU South West Campus and Bunbury Regional Community College were listed as exposure sites for Wednesday March 2 from 9.30am-12.30pm and Thursday 3 from 8am to 12pm respectively. Margaret River’s Blackwood Dance Company was also an exposure site from 5.15pm-6.30pm on Wednesday March 2. McDonald’s Treendale was listed to include two exposures, the first on Tuesday March 1 from 3.30pm-7.30pm, the second on Wednesday March 2 from 3.20pm-3.40pm. The region’s exposure site for Thursday March 4 include Artezen Cafe in Dunsborough, the Margaret River Bakery and Fishbone Winery. Friday’s exposure sites include the Augusta Moon Chinese Restaurant and Palmer Winery in Dunsborough. Swings & Roundabouts winery was an exposure site on Saturday and Sunday. Other Saturday exposure sites were Rosily Vineyard, Lenton Brae Winery, the Margaret River Dairy Company, the Collie Fields Brasserie Cafe, McDonald’s Dalyellup, Bushtucker Tours Margaret River, the Har Bar and Clancy’s Fish Pub in Dunsborough, along with the Pullman Resort near Bunker Bay, The resort was an exposure site for Sunday, and was updated to have been an exposure site the previous weekend. Dunsborough’s Har Bar was again an exposure site on Sunday, along with the Bungalow Neighbourhood Social Bar, Caves House Hotel in Yallingup and the Margaret River Chocolate Company. At the time of going to print, Shelter Brewing Co in Busselton was the only exposure site for Monday March 7. A full list of exposure sites and times can be found online here.