Urgent Covid alert for nightclub in Western Australia due to infected partygoer

The partygoer who visited Perth nightclubs while infected with Covid has been revealed as a 25-year-old backpacker who entered the country from France.

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan confirmed the case entered the state from Queensland after arriving from Europe.

The man, who is unvaccinated, was able to enter given the quarantine-free travel between the states. 

The premier said ‘hundreds’ of people have already been contacted after potentially being exposed to the case, which experts do not believe is Omicron.

Mr McGowan said the man arrived in WA one hour before the hard border to Queensland was put in place. 

Masks will now be compulsory in all indoor settings in Perth and Peel until at least Tuesday, while all large public events will be cancelled. 

‘I know this is not the news we wanted to hear two days before Christmas, but unfortunately this is the reality of COVID-19,’ Mr McGowan said in an emergency press conference on Thursday afternoon.

‘No matter how hard our border controls, the virus can sneak into Western Australia.’  

Contact tracing is underway by WA Health after a person infected with Covid-19 attended a Perth nightclub over the weekend

The backpacker was unvaccinated but was able to enter the state because of quarantine-free travel between the states.

He was not required to produce a test prior to landing as Queensland was classified as ‘very low risk’ at the time.

It has since been elevated to low risk and a hard border has been established.

The French backpacker lives with four other people including his girlfriend.   

‘He is a backpacker who went out ant went to nightclubs, bars, museums, restaurants, and it is in the hundreds. That’s why we are so concerned,’ Mr McGowan told reporters.

‘He has been to events where there has been lots of dancing, lots of fun, lots of interaction by lots of people in close proximity. That’s why we are concerned about it. 

Some people are saying we are go took far in our reaction to this because it is one  case, but the venues he has been to and the length of time he has been infectious means we have to take these steps.’

The Geisha Bar in Northbridge, WA (pictured) has confirmed it has been classified as an exposure site between 12am and 3am on Sunday morning

The Geisha Bar in Northbridge has confirmed it has been classified as an exposure site between 12am and 3am on Sunday morning.

‘We are working with WA Health to provide all contact registers and we are waiting on further instructions,’ the venue posted on Facebook on Thursday.

Mr McGowan said health officials are highly recommending mask use be worn at all times, in both indoor and outdoor settings, and all sporting events and musical festivals would be cancelled until at least Tuesday.

He also confirmed dance floors will be closed, with it only permitted at weddings.  

‘We now need to face the potential of community transmission in Perth and Peel,’ he said.

‘That is why I am asking everyone to please do the right thing over this period.’ 

A screenshot circulating on social media showed a text message sent by WA Health instructing attendees to get tested and isolate until a negative result is returned.

WA Health has been contacted for comment.

WA has not had cases of community transmission since June and the State border was due to reopen with the rest of Australia on February 5.

On Wednesday, Premier Mark McGowan said he would not lockdown Perth if Covid cases were detected before February 5.

Instead, he said the Government would consider imposing other restrictions to slow any outbreak, such as face masks in indoor venues.