Western Australia will significantly increase coronavirus testing starting from tomorrow, with anyone who has had a fever or acute respiratory infection in recent days now eligible to be checked for the virus.

Key points: Anyone with a fever or respiratory infection can be tested from tomorrow

Anyone with a fever or respiratory infection can be tested from tomorrow There are now 481 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in WA, an increase of 11

There are now 481 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in WA, an increase of 11 Random community testing has so far not detected any cases

Health Minister Roger Cook made the announcement as he confirmed WA had recorded 11 new cases of the virus, taking the state's total number of infections to 481.

WA's COVID-19 death toll remains at six, following two fatalities yesterday.

Mr Cook said the expanded testing criteria meant from tomorrow any person with a fever of 38 degrees Celsius or higher — or who had one in recent days — or an acute respiratory infection would be eligible to be tested.

That would include anybody with symptoms such as a shortness of breath, cough or sore throat.

"This is a significant change and means we will capture a much wider proportion of the public," he said.

"This will ensure we are able to find new cases, protect the vulnerable and ensure we track the movement of the virus in the community.

"If you have symptoms, then please go to the clinics and be tested."

Second testing change in last week

The revamped testing rules is the second time testing criteria has been expanded in barely a week, with previous restrictions eased after concerns over a shortage of testing chemicals dissipated.

Until just a week ago, only people who had recently returned from travel or who had come into contact with a confirmed case of the virus was able to be tested.

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





Anyone who meets those criteria will still be eligible for testing at one of WA's nine COVID clinics — seven of which are in Perth, with one in Bunbury and another in the Kimberley.

Patients in other regions can be tested through hospitals.

WA has already been conducting random examination of testing samples of people being checked for respiratory infections, but that process is yet to pick up a single case of COVID-19.

More than one-third of WA cases linked to cruises

One of the new infections today is in the Kimberley, taking the total in that region to 15.

Mr Cook said the latest Kimberley case was a close contact of a person previously identified as infected, but was not a healthcare worker.

"We are very encouraged by the numbers … but at the moment we need to keep our foot down on the break," Mr Cook said.

"These are early days and we are not going to see a quick fix for this."

But significant concerns remain about cruise ships, which are responsible for 176 — or 37 per cent — of WA's cases, after seven new cases stemming from those vessels.

Premier Mark McGowan confirmed Commonwealth health authorities had reboarded the Artania, which remained docked at Fremantle, to assess 18 crew members.

The Artania cruise ship remains a cause for concern for the WA Government. ( ABC News: Nicolas Perpitch )

Thirteen of those assessed have now been removed from the ship and taken into quarantine on shore.

"Clearly the Artania continues to be an issue," Mr McGowan said of the ship, which still has about 400 crew members on board.

Thirty-four passengers from the crew remain in WA hospitals, with many more in quarantine.

Six more cruise ships heading to WA

The State Government is also concerned about six cruise ships heading into WA waters, having departed from Sydney or Melbourne.

Mr McGowan said between them, they had 6,000 crew members on board but all had been directed to return to their home ports.

"We don't want those cruise ships coming here because it would be very difficult for us to deal with," the Premier said.

"It is obviously a matter of some concern."

Meanwhile, Mr Cook defended the handling of a case where a man with COVID-19 was denied permission to visit his wife in intensive care before she died of the virus.

"These protocols are in place to make sure we can protect the public, other patients in the hospital and healthcare workers," he said.

"We don't want to have people who are COVID-positive coming into ICU unless they are the patient."

Mr McGowan described the situation as "shocking and awful", saying he had raised it with Health Department director general David Russell-Weisz.

"He committed to me that there would be a review of the protocols around that and I look forward to that review taking place," Mr McGowan said.