New restrictions on travel across Western Australia preventing the movement of people between different regions have been announced by Premier Mark McGowan in an effort to halt the spread of COVID-19.

Key points: The WA Premier has restricted movement between regions in WA

The WA Premier has restricted movement between regions in WA Fines of up to $50,000 could be issued if people ignore the rules

Fines of up to $50,000 could be issued if people ignore the rules Exemptions exist for essential travel and on compassionate grounds

Beginning at midnight on Tuesday, Mr McGowan said only essential travel would be allowed between regions.

All other travel would be restricted between WA's regions, which include Perth and the country regions of the Kimberley, Pilbara, Gascoyne, Mid West, Wheatbelt, Goldfields-Esperance, South West, Great Southern, and Peel.

Mr McGowan said the Peel and Perth regions would be classified as a single region under this measure due to their close proximity.

Police would have the power to enforce restrictions of movement and those breaking the new rules could face fines of up to $50,000.

"Our advice has been clear for days now: Avoid all non-essential travel around the state," the Premier said.

"Do not travel around WA. Easter holiday plans cannot proceed.

WA Premier Mark McGowan has announced changes to the coronavirus containment rules. ( ABC News: Andrew O'Connor )

"Stay within your region to protect yourself and your fellow West Australians, particularly our older citizens.

"I am pleading with Western Australians to do the right thing. It is your civic duty."

Mr McGowan said further detail about the restrictions would be released at a later date, including what exemptions would apply.

"West Australians will not be barred from leaving their regions for essential purposes," Mr McGowan said.

"[This is] including but not limited to, travel for work purposes to deliver essential goods, for essential health and emergency services and other essential requirements.

"Exemptions on compassionate grounds will also be in place."

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WA Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said police would use every resource possible to enforce the restrictions, but help may be called in if necessary.

"We will be co-opting other people and that will include Defence if necessary and we're working our way through that," Commissioner Dawson said.

The Premier also announced on Friday that gun shops and dealerships would be forced to close.

New cases include five-month-old baby

The state recorded 24 new cases of COVID-19 overnight, bringing the total to 255.

WA COVID-19 snapshot Confirmed cases so far: 662

Confirmed cases so far: 662 Recovered: 650

Recovered: 650 Deaths: 9

Deaths: 9 Total tests: 395,402 Latest information from the WA Health Department





Five of the new cases are from regional WA and they range in age from five months old to 82 years old.

It brings the number of confirmed cases in the regions to 23.

The five-month-old is the child of two of the new confirmed cases, and is at home with its parents in Perth.

Eleven of the new cases are from cruise ships, including five from the Ruby Princess, three from the Ovation of the Seas, two from the Voyager of the Seas and one from the Celebrity Solstice.

One of the new cases is a Perth Children's Hospital worker.

The person worked in the hospital's emergency department on various shifts from March 7 to March 22.

Health authorities are working to notify anyone considered to have been a close contact in that period.

Health Minister Roger Cook said 11,836 people had tested negative for the virus in WA. More than 1,590 of those were from regional areas.

There are 13 COVID-19 patients in Perth hospitals.

Two people have died from the virus in WA — both were cruise ship passengers. The number of recovered cases is now at 28.

The list of people eligible to be tested at one of the state's seven COVID-19 clinics has been expanded to include police officers, pharmacists, disability workers and aged care workers who have a fever or flu-like symptoms.

Man died 48 hours after showing symptoms

Family members of a West Australian man who died from COVID-19 on Thursday have released a statement expressing their devastation.

Ray Daniels, 73, fell ill after holidaying on the Celebrity Solstice cruise ship, which docked in Sydney on March 20.

Ray Daniels died from coronavirus after spending time on a cruise ship. He was the second person in WA to die from the disease. ( Supplied )

Mr Daniels is the father of a serving West Australian Police officer.

His family said they were devastated and urged people to take the virus seriously.

"He was a very fit, healthy and active man with no known underlying health issues," they said.

"He showed no real significant signs of being unwell until he collapsed at home on Wednesday morning. He died within 48 hours.

"Clearly this virus does not discriminate and we never believed for one second that it would take him from us.

"Everybody needs to take this virus seriously and follow the health advice that is being given."

WA to harbour cruise passengers

The changed rules follow an announcement by Prime Minister Scott Morrison asking states and territories to force arrivals into 14 days of isolation.

It means Western Australia will need to provide quarantine facilities for 600 Australians on board the Vasco da Gama, who are not residents of the state.

There are almost 800 Australians on board the ship in total, 200 of whom are from WA.

There are also foreign nationals on board, including 108 New Zealanders. The Vasco da Gama docked at Fremantle late on Friday afternoon.

Australian passengers on the Vasco da Gama cruise ship are set to spend 14 days in quarantine on Rottnest Island. ( ABC News: Tom Fedorowytsch )

The State Government is preparing Rottnest Island to cater for the arrivals, along with some hotels.

Travel to the holiday island for everyone else has been banned.

Mr Morrison said the costs of accommodation and other arrangements would be managed by the states and territories.

Man fined for breaching quarantine rules

WA Police have charged a man for failing to self-isolate after returning from overseas.

Officers allege the 61-year-old man from Carlisle returned from Indonesia last week, but failed to go into quarantine for 14 days.

A member of the public contacted police, who allegedly caught the man on his way to the beach.

He is due to appear in court at a later date charged with failing to comply with direction, under the Emergency Act of Western Australia

Woman forced into quarantine

Meanwhile, a West Australian woman has been forced into quarantine under the state's Public Health Act, the first instance of this situation since the coronavirus outbreak began.

The state's Chief Health Officer, Andrew Robertson, declined to give many details about the woman, including which facility she was in or what exactly led to her enforced quarantine.

He told ABC Radio Perth she would be allowed to leave when the 14-day isolation period expired.

WA Chief Health Officer Andrew Robertson says the state can quarantine people who do not comply. ( ABC News: James Carmody )

"She's safe, she's receiving good care," Dr Robertson said.

"She's being monitored regularly.

"Once she's completed her isolation period she'll obviously be free to go on her way."

The Police Commissioner said two officers arrested the woman in the Perth CBD several days ago.

He said the woman had not been diagnosed with COVID-19, but remained under guard at the Perth facility.

"Take this seriously," Commissioner Dawson said as a warning to the rest of the community.

Dr Robertson said at this stage most West Australians were being very compliant with the rules and self-isolating if required.

"But we do have the powers under the Public Health Act to require people to quarantine … either if they won't or can't comply," Dr Robertson said

"We appreciate that some people can't comply because they're worried about ill people at home for example.

"They might have elderly parents or sick family members.

"We can quarantine those and then others who are less compliant."

FIFO changes for mining operations

Mining giant Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) announced it would slash employee movement by 40 per cent from next week, as it tried to cut the chance of coronavirus infecting its mines.

From Monday fly-in fly-out workers on two-weeks-on, one-week-off rosters will move to four-on, two-off schedules.

Other fly-in fly-out rosters would change to two-weeks on, two-weeks off.

Employees would also receive a $1,000 payment each month for three months and be eligible for an extra five days' leave.

The change could last as long as six months.

FMG chief executive Elizabeth Gaines said the decision was made to protect community health and wellbeing.

Changes have been made to Rio Tinto's FIFO rosters in response to the coronavirus pandemic. ( Supplied: Rio Tinto )

Rio Tinto also announced similar measures, including changing its Pilbara FIFO workers to a two-weeks-on, two-weeks-off roster, instead of eight-days-on, six-off.

Those flying to a mine site would be given COVID-19 screening tests and the number of people on site would be reduced, the company said in a statement.

Rio Tinto Iron Ore chief executive Chris Salisbury said the changes would "protect our people and communities, while giving our business the best opportunity to continue contributing to state and national economies".

BHP announced it was introducing a two-week onsite roster base for all FIFO teams.

The company said it would be progressively implementing the new roster throughout April.

It expected the changes to initially be in place for three months, but this would be reviewed as the COVID-19 situation evolved.