A Perth hospital has relocated expecting mothers and infants from its maternity ward after a staff member tested positive for coronavirus and was later hospitalised.

Key points: There were 19 staff members and four patients exposed at the hospital

There were 19 staff members and four patients exposed at the hospital It comes shortly after doctors called for state borders to be shut

It comes shortly after doctors called for state borders to be shut The Education Minister concedes school shutdowns are likely

Joondalup Health Campus (JHC) said 19 staff members and four patients were identified as having been in contact with the infected employee.

All of those staff were immediately sent home to self isolate, while another three patients have been discharged and are in home isolation.

One patient remains in the hospital but is being cared for according to isolation protocols.

The hospital said it followed all correct procedures and as soon as it was made aware of the original staff member's symptoms the individual was sent home to self-isolate.

That employee then admitted themselves to hospital.

"As a result of having a COVID positive staff member, all private maternity patients have been relocated to enable the appropriate cleaning of the ward," a statement from Ramsay Health Care said.

"Like all hospitals in WA, JHC has strict infection control measures in place and is working closely with the Department of Health and infectious diseases and infection prevention and control experts.

"All private maternity patients who are booked at Joondalup Private Hospital will continue to be admitted as private patients under the care of a private obstetrician."

Second health worker infected

St John of God Hospital in Subiaco has confirmed one of WA's positive cases was a consulting specialist who returned to Australia from the US.

"We informed the Department of Health as well as the small number of staff and patients who had contact with the specialist last week," chief executive Shirley Bowen said.

"The specialist is now on home quarantine.

"As the specialist was asymptomatic, the Department of Health deemed the contact low risk and advised that isolation was not required for caregivers or patients."

However, professor Bowen said the staff who had come into contact with the specialist were now in self-isolation to reduce any possible risk.

Perth school parent contracts virus

Meanwhile, Catholic Education WA said the parent of a student at John XXIII College in Perth had tested positive for COVID-19.

"The parent and their family are now in self-isolation," a statement issued on Tuesday afternoon said.

"In line with agreed processes across all education sectors, the college will remain open, unless advised by the Chief Health Officer to temporarily close."

In an email to parents, John XXIII principal Robert Henderson said the college had not been advised of any other positive result.

"The college is taking all measures to ensure the safety of our students, staff and families," he said.

"This development may make your child feel worried or anxious.

"It is important for us to show care and support for all members of our community … I ask that you pray for our community members who are now having to self-isolate."

Aged care worker tests positive

An aged care worker from the Aegis Ascot Transition Facility in Bayswater has also tested positive for COVID-19.

The worker recently returned from Hawaii and tested positive for the virus on Sunday. He was among 10 new WA cases confirmed on Monday.

Aegis chief operating officer Kevin Brimblecombe said the man arrived back in the country early last week.

An Aegis Ascot Aged Care worker recently returned from Hawaii tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. ( ABC News: James Carmody )

Mr Brimblecombe said the man was a casual employee and had worked a number of shifts since returning.

The Commonwealth funded-facility caters for about 30 residents.

It was closed to visitors on Monday and residents will now be quarantined there for 14 days and monitored for any symptoms.

WA Health Minister Roger Cook said none of the three healthcare workers who tested positive on Monday worked at a general practice or within the public health sector.

"Any healthcare worker that is ill and has potentially been in close contact with any of the people they care for, that's obviously a serious situation," Mr Cook said.

"We expect all our healthcare organisations to take that situation seriously and respond to it."

Another aged care provider, Regis, which operates eight facilities in WA and 63 around the country, has announced it would voluntarily implement a two-week lockdown at all of its facilities.

A spokeswoman for Regis said it had not had any cases of COVID-19 in its centres, but would take the measure from 5:00pm on Tuesday as a precaution to protect its staff and residents.

New COVID-19 cases all travellers

Mr Cook said three newly diagnosed cases had been reported on Tuesday.

He said one man in his 30s had returned from the UK, another man in his 50s had returned from Thailand and a man in his 20s had come from Ireland via Dubai.

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





All the cases are from overseas, meaning WA still has not recorded any community-based transmissions.

Of Monday's cases, one person remains in a stable condition in hospital.

A fourth WA COVID-19 clinic will open at Bunbury Hospital this Friday, in addition to three that are operating in Perth.

WA Premier rejects call to close state borders

West Australian Premier Mark McGowan has rejected a call from some of the state's top doctors to effectively shut down interstate travel to and from WA in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Some of the highest ranking medical staff on the front line at Fiona Stanley, Royal Perth and Sir Charles Gairdner hospitals, a group known as the Combined Medical Leads Group, made the recommendation to the WA Health COVID-19 Taskforce.

"The Combined Medical Leads Group recommends that every mechanism to 'flatten the curve' with respect to the spread of COVID-19 be initiated in WA," the group said.

"This is a time-critical recommendation. Particular attention should be paid to extending isolation restrictions to include all personal interstate travel."

Mr McGowan said it was too early to be considering this type of restriction.

"People still need to go east for medical appointments, for important support for family members who might be ill.

"These are national decisions to be made by the National Cabinet."

But he later told Parliament the closure of Australia's international borders should be seriously considered

"I think the time has come for the [Federal] Government of Australia to look at closing the border for people going overseas on holidays, or indeed for international visitors on holidays coming into Australia," Mr McGowan said.

"Clearly we also need to take account of the fact that there may be essential forms of travel that should not be disrupted and there may be products we need to obtain via air transport or products we need to send by sea transport.

"These things need to be carefully, carefully considered."

Minister admits school closures 'probable'

Meanwhile, Education Minister Sue Ellery has conceded a widespread school shutdown was likely at some point in the future.

On Monday, the Education Department introduced precautionary measures to manage the impact of the virus on schools across the state.

Principals were asked to cancel or postpone all non-essential gatherings including swimming and sports carnivals, assemblies, concerts, exhibitions, camps and fetes.

The department has been following medical advice to keep schools open, but Ms Ellery said that advice could change.

Education Minister Sue Ellery says it's "quite likely" schools will have to close at some point. ( ABC News: Elise Pianegonda )

"I think it's quite likely that that might happen. It'll be on the basis of health advice," Ms Ellery said.

But she said the department would continue to act on advice from the Federal Government.

"We're acting on advice from the chief health officer, indeed chief health officers from around Australia," Ms Ellery said.

"That is, right now there is no need to do pre-emptive school closures. This is an evolving situation.

"That advice is constantly being reviewed, and we will act if and when we need to act."

Medication shortage hits WA pharmacies

Pharmacies are also reporting shortages of key medicines, including Ventolin, insulin, blood thinners and paracetamol.

"We are starting to see the signs of panic buying," Pharmacy Guild (WA) director Matthew Tweedie said.

Pharmacy Guild of WA director Matthew Tweedie says some pharmacies are experiencing shortages of vital medications.

"Unfortunately we're also seeing an increasing problem in terms of antisocial behaviour in our pharmacies — that is, aggressive behaviour, threatening behaviour, when people find they might not be able to get what they wanted."

He said pharmacists needed to work with GPs to temporarily stop the practice of writing prescriptions for up to 90 days supply of medicine per patient.

"Oversupplying is something we need to manage and control," he said.

Mr Tweedie said the Pharmacy Guild had been meeting with the Therapeutic Goods Administration and wholesalers to address supply issues as quickly as possible.

The guild is due to meet officials from the WA Health Department on Thursday to discuss further measures to manage demand.

More COVID-19 testing kits arrive

Health Department director general David Russell-Weisz said the state had secured additional COVID-19 testing kits after facing a potential shortfall last week and now had a 19-day supply.

"I have a procurement team working 24-hours around the clock, we are looking to spot-purchase anything when it ever comes up," he 6PR Radio.

"Since last Thursday when we had a supplier — who is normally a very good supplier — not being able to fulfil that supply, we have been actually spot buying at other places."

The Commonwealth also confirmed it would work to guarantee supply of testing kits as well as masks.

About 30 million additional masks were due to arrive in the country at the end of next week, followed by a further 45 million in the coming weeks.

Who should present to COVID-19 clinics? People who have EITHER a fever of 38 degrees Celsius OR acute respiratory infection

People who have Symptoms to look out for include fever, shortness of breath, cough or sore throat

Symptoms to look out for include or Patients who are tested should remain isolated at home until they receive their test results. Major clinics have been set up at Perth hospitals including Royal Perth, Sir Charles Gairdner, Fiona Stanley, Joondalup, Armadale, Rockingham and St John of God Midland. They are open from 8:00am–8:00pm daily. In Southern WA a clinic is operating at Bunbury Health Campus from 10:00am–4:00pm daily. In Northern WA a clinic is operating at Broome Hospital from 8:30am–4:00pm daily. Outside these areas, people with symptoms should present to their local hospital. For more information go to the Health Department website.

Dr Russell-Weisz said ordinarily the health system in WA used about 50,000 masks per week, but lately had been going through up to 100,000 a week.

"All our normal suppliers are saying they can supply as normal, but we need to increase our supply," he said.

Dr Russell-Weisz said scaling back non-essential elective surgeries in public and private hospitals would also free-up more ventilators, staff, masks and hospital beds if needed.

Plea for banks, landlords to 'be kind'

Mr McGowan made a plea to banks, landlords and local governments to "step up and do the right thing" to support businesses and households across the state.

"I'd urge the banks, be kind to people who are suffering financial difficulties, be kind to small and medium-sized businesses in this environment," Mr McGowan said.

"We cannot have a situation where we have mass bankruptcies."

Banks and landlords are being urged to show compassion to businesses in financial difficulty amid the coronavirus pandemic. ( ABC News: Jessica Warriner )

Mr McGowan urged landlords to ease off on people who may start to struggle to pay their rent.

"There is no point in evicting tenants, businesses, households who can't meet their bills because all you're going to do is make the situation worse," Mr McGowan said.

"I'd urge local government very, very strongly … we need to have no increase in rates in fees and charges on households by local government for at least the next year."

WA's public transport fleet is also being cleaned more often to manage the spread of the virus.

The Public Transport Authority said it had significantly increased the sanitation regime for buses, trains, ferries, road coaches and stations, having procured extra cleaning supplies weeks ago in anticipation.

Another aged care provider, Hall and Prior, said it had offered the Health Department the use of up to 60 beds at a newly built and not yet occupied facility in High Wycombe which was due to open in May.

In a statement, Hall and Prior said the beds would be best used for overflow patients, not affected by coronavirus, if hospitals reach capacity due to an outbreak.