Home

COVID-19: WA on high alert after interstate truck driver tests positive

Headshot of Bethany Hiatt
Bethany HiattThe West Australian
CommentsComments
The Kewdale BP truck stop that is now a WA COVID exposure site.
Camera IconThe Kewdale BP truck stop that is now a WA COVID exposure site. Credit: Google Maps

WA is on alert after another COVID-19 scare involving an interstate truck driver.

The Health Department has released a list of potential exposure sites after it was notified the driver had returned a positive test result in Victoria on Tuesday — almost a week ago.

The driver, who is in his 20s, was potentially infectious the whole time he was in WA, from September 30 to October 3.

Now in quarantine in a South Australian medi-hotel, the driver was tested at the border between SA and Victoria after he had been in WA.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

The co-driver who travelled with him has returned a negative result for COVID.

The Health Department said while the risk to the general public was low, health officials were working to identify any close or casual contacts of the infectious driver.

Australian Medical Association WA president Mark Duncan-Smith said news of yet another infectious truck driver was more evidence that “COVID is knocking on our door”.

“And more reason to get vaccinated before COVID gets here,” he added.

Dr Duncan-Smith said the positive test notification showed the system was working and there was good surveillance of people shuttling between the states.

“It’s beholden on the government now to track and trace the truck driver’s whereabouts to minimise the risk of any spread to the West Australian community,” he said.

The list of exposure sites reveals the driver visited three service stations during his visit.

They include a 24-hour layover at a BP station on Abernethy Road, Kewdale, on October 1-2, and BP stations on the Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, Norseman, at 6am on October 1, and Eyre Highway, Balladonia, around midday on October 3.

The Health Department said CCTV vision at the Kewdale site was also being reviewed.

On Sunday night, the health department also included the BP station on Erindale Road in Balcatta as a potential exposure site.

WA COVID-19 exposure sites

October 1, 4.15pm-4.45pm

Balcatta, BP Service Station, 53 Erindale Road

Advice - Get tested immediately and isolate until you receive a negative result

October 1, 5.45pm - October 2, 9pm

Kewdale BP Service Station, 543-549 Abernethy Road

Advice - Monitor for symptoms until 14 days after this date. If you have or have had symptoms since this time, contact 13 COVID (13 26843) urgently

October 1, 5.45pm-6.45pm, October 2, 7.30am-8.15am, 9.45am-10.15am, 8.15pm-9pm

Kewdale BP Service Station, 543-549 Abernethy Road

Advice - Get tested immediately and isolate until you receive a negative result

October 1, 5.45am-6.30am

Noreseman BP Service Station, 1 Coolgardie-Esperance Highway

Advice - Get tested immediately and isolate until you receive a negative result

October 3, 11am-12pm

Balladonia, BP Service Station, Eyre Highway

Advice - Get tested immediately and isolate until you receive a negative result

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails