"West Australians will not be stopped from leaving their regions for essential purposes," the Premier said. But there would be a clear list of exemptions, which will include travel for work purposes to deliver essential goods, for essential health and emergency services, as well as compassionate grounds exemptions. "My message to West Australians is this: do not travel around WA," Mr McGowan said. "Easter holiday plans cannot proceed. "We're in this together, the travel has to stop. If you are currently travelling, please come home immediately."

Police Commissioner Chris Dawson said the government was also considering on-the-spot fines for people caught failing to observe social distancing rules. The NSW government brought into effect $1000 fines for people caught too close together. Mr Dawson also warned police would strictly enforce a travel ban between regions. He said from next week people travelling between regions would be expected to have "authentication as to why and where they're going".

"We all must recognise we live in a vast state, but we've got to listen to these warnings and these directions," he said. "If anyone willfully disobeys them, and we have evidence of that, we'll make every effort to prosecute them because if the community are not listening, we will have to have to take that next step further. "If you willfully break those laws, you're subject to very heavy fines." Perth and Peel would be one region under the rules to be drawn up. Mr McGowan said the government had permitted seven COVID-19 positive passengers from the Artania cruise ship to be transferred to a Perth hospital to be assessed before being taken to be quarantined at Joondalup Police Academy for 14 days.

Loading A further two suspected cases have also been taken to hospital and once all are recovered, they will fly home. Premier Mark McGowan said the remainder of the ship’s 800 passengers – none of whom are Australian – will be flown out of Perth to Germany on three chartered flights at the weekend, before the ship departs WA waters. Prime Minister Scott Morrison today announced measures to be implemented by the states for the quarantine of Australians returning from overseas in hotels from midnight Saturday. "If their home is in South Australia or in Perth or in Tasmania and they have arrived in Melbourne, they will be quarantining in Melbourne," he said.