WA Police have suspended high-volume random breath testing and this year's Margaret River Pro surfing event has been cancelled amid three new cases of coronavirus in the state, with a recruitment drive launched for extra health workers.

Key points: The number of reported coronavirus cases in WA has jumped to 31

The number of reported coronavirus cases in WA has jumped to 31 More events and normal operations are being cancelled in response

More events and normal operations are being cancelled in response The WA Government wants to bolster the health workforce so it can cope

The moves are among the latest measures taken in WA to try to combat the spread of COVID-19, with supermarkets and universities in WA also changing their practices.

Random breath testing of drivers for alcohol and drugs will continue to be conducted by mobile patrol cars, but the mass tests conducted by police booze buses will be suspended until further notice.

"This decision has been made to minimise the risk to officers and the community," WA Police said in a statement.

Mass random breath tests conducted by police buses have been suspended until further notice. ( ABC News: James Carmody )

"High-visibility mobile traffic patrols targeting driver behaviour, including breath and drug testing, will be undertaken as part of our continued commitment to road safety.

"These dedicated traffic patrols will be undertaken throughout the state and reinforce our message that you may be stopped anywhere and at any time."

WA COVID-19 snapshot Confirmed cases so far: 661

Confirmed cases so far: 661 Recovered: 648

Recovered: 648 Deaths: 9

Deaths: 9 Total tests: 392,908 Latest information from the WA Health Department





The Margaret River Pro in the state's South West will not proceed as the World Surf League (WSL) continues to cancel or postpone events due to COVID-19.

The decision follows the cancellation of the season-opening event on the Gold Coast and the iconic Bells Beach tournament in Victoria.

It is the second time in three years the Margaret River Pro has been cancelled. ( Supplied: ASP/Cestari )

WSL chief executive Eric Logan said while the move was regrettable, the health of athletes and event staff was paramount.

It is the second time in three years the Margaret River competition has been scrapped after two shark attacks near Gracetown during the 2018 event resulted in it being cancelled.



WA coronavirus tally rises to 31

WA Premier Mark McGowan today confirmed three new diagnosed cases of coronavirus.

As with the 10 WA cases of coronavirus confirmed yesterday, none are believed to have originated from person-to-person transmission in the state.

The latest cases take the total number of positive tests in the state to 31, including one death.

Nine of the 10 people who contracted the disease in yesterday's figures had returned from overseas travel but the origin of one case was unknown.

One patient has been admitted to hospital in a serious but stable condition.

Another one of the people testing positive to COVID-19 had recently returned from Hawaii, while three of the cases were confirmed as being healthcare workers.

There have been 5,878 negative tests conducted in WA to date.

Recruitment drive launched for health workers

The WA Health Department has launched a newspaper and online advertising campaign calling on retired doctors and nurses to return to the workforce and for part-time workers to consider going full-time.

Newspaper advertisements are being placed to try to attract extra clinical staff including nurses, assistants in nursing, senior medical practitioners, general practitioners, junior doctors, medical scientists and technical assistants.

The advertisements are appealing for retired doctors and nurses to rejoin the workforce. ( ABC News: James Carmody )

A "second wave of recruitment" will target other professions like allied health, patient support and hospital administration roles.

Health Minister Roger Cook said the inevitable spread of COVID-19 would put extra pressure on the healthcare system, particularly as the influenza season arrived.

"This recruitment drive will help ease the pressure on our existing health workforce and ensure that Western Australians can continue to access safe and high-quality care," he said.

The department's director general, David Russell-Weisz, told 6PR Radio the campaign was already proving effective.

GPs are among the extra clinical staff the recruitment drive is aimed at attracting. ( ABC News: Damien McIntyre )

"I've got feedback this morning from one of our chief executives who said they've already had more enquiries," he said.

"We're going to be flexible, so we're not going to go through a long, protracted, bureaucratic process. We have an exemption, we don't need to go through lengthy interviews, we don't need to go through redeployment.

"We want people to come, if they can come for two sessions a week, fantastic. If they can return part-time or full-time we'll welcome them with open arms."

Coles, Woolworths deliveries shelved

Coles supermarkets across WA have suspended home delivery orders to combat panic buying.

Coles and Woolworths have both cancelled home deliveries. ( ABC News: Tom Joyner/ Nic MacBean )

In a statement, Coles told customers it was dedicating vans in their network to delivering groceries to the most vulnerable and those isolated by the virus.

"All orders being delivered from Thursday 19 March onwards will be cancelled," the statement said.

Coles would also suspend "click and collect" orders from Wednesday.

Stores would dedicate the first hour of trade to vulnerable community members such as the elderly and disadvantaged.

Woolworths has also suspended its home delivery service and customers have reported online delivery orders were being affected as well, with some orders unable to be processed.

Elderly queue for dedicated shopping hour

Thousands of elderly and disabled people queued up outside shopping centres across Perth early this morning as Woolworths launched a dedicated shopping hour to combat panic buying.

There was a long line of shoppers outside Woolworths at Dog Swamp Shopping Centre in Perth. ( ABC News: Herlyn Kaur )

Woolworths and Coles are both opening between 7:00am and 8:00am this week exclusively to give disadvantaged people the chance to shop before stores are open to the general public.

Retiree Ray Plastow was waiting outside Dog Swamp Shopping Centre in Yokine in Perth's north this morning to purchase his essentials.

"It's great, especially for the older people, it's fantastic," he said.

"We're a bit down on groceries and toilet paper, and also for our son — he's disabled, he can't go out."

Woolworths at Dog Swamp was very busy during its early opening hour for pensioners and disabled people. ( ABC News: Herlyn Kaur )

But some shoppers were left disappointed as they walked empty-handed out of the shopping centre.

Rita Perruzza, who has a daughter with Down syndrome, said she missed out on essentials like toilet paper because shelves were emptied too quickly.

"It's a good idea, but you've got one hour and it's just packed in there. You're better off coming in during the day," she said.

Shopper Cynthia Walsh was also frustrated.

"A waste of time, no toilet rolls, too crowded, too many people," she said.

Universities cancel public gatherings

Curtin University announced it would have all lectures available online by the end of the week.

It was also finalising plans to move to online or alternate modes of delivery of tutorials, laboratories and workshops where it was feasible, the university said in a statement.

Curtin would also cancel all public events on campus "for the foreseeable future".

The University of Western Australia has also cancelled public events on campus for the next month, while a statement from the vice-chancellor said attendance requirements for many units had been suspended.

The university was also considering whether it would continue to teach face-to-face or through recorded lectures and online material.

Jury trials suspended

All new jury trials in WA have been put on hold for at least six weeks.

Chief Justice Peter Quinlan and District Court Chief Judge Kevin Sleight said they wanted to "limit the close social contact between persons over extended periods of time that is a necessary feature of jury trials".

All jury trials that were listed to start from now until the end of May will have the opportunity to request a judge-alone trial at a status conference in the coming days and weeks.

There will be no jury trials starting in WA for at least six weeks. ( ABC News: Briana Shepherd )

The judges said they were "acutely conscious of the impact this action will have on the administration of justice in this state" and would endeavour to minimise that impact wherever possible.

The situation will be revised by May 1.

Judge-alone trials, including the long-running Claremont serial killer trial, will continue to be run as normal, although people have been advised not to attend the public gallery.

Civil trials will also not be affected.

Freeze on household fees and charges

The WA Government announced yesterday that all household fees and charges would be frozen as part of a major economic relief package to tackle the COVID-19 emergency.

The stimulus package would be worth a total of $607 million.

It would mean electricity, water, motor vehicle charges, the emergency services levy and public transport fares in the state would not increase until at least July 2021, at a cost to the Government of $402 million.

On top of that, the energy assistance payment — a rebate given to concession card holders — would be doubled to $600 to help seniors in particular.

Another $114 million would be spent on measures to help small and medium-sized business, including bringing forward cuts to payroll tax and one-off assistance payments of $17,500.