WA to disclose more virus source details

Western Australia's government has promised better transparency after it was not disclosed that several recovered COVID-19 cases were linked to the highly contagious British strain.

WA has one active case linked to the mutant variant which has wreaked havoc in the UK and put Australian authorities on high alert.

The returned overseas traveller, aged in their 30s, is in hotel quarantine.

Premier Mark McGowan says WA Health does not immediately receive the results of twice-weekly genomic testing which reveal the source of infections.

Any infections linked to the UK strain or other highly infectious variants will now be made public once confirmed, despite the premier downplaying the threat to the public.

"There's currently not a public health reason for doing so because the people in question are kept in a hotel or taken to hospital and they are quarantined," he told reporters on Tuesday.

"But in light of public interest in this, we'll make the information available."

Mr McGowan added that the government would not release details that could potentially identify patients, including their flight information, unless there was a public health reason for doing so such as quarantine breaches.

A woman aged in her 80s who was confirmed to be infected with the UK strain was hospitalised earlier this month after testing positive in hotel quarantine.

She has since been cleared of the virus.

Three workers who came into close contact with her were ordered into quarantine after failing to wear adequate protective equipment.

In a statement on Tuesday, WA Health said there had been six cases of the UK strain and two of the South African strain detected to date.

"It is important to note that all positive cases of COVID-19 detected in Western Australia since 11 April 2020 have been confined to hotel quarantine," the department said.

WA has had no community transmission of the virus for nine months.

"Our quarantine system has worked properly, our borders have worked properly, people have embraced what they needed to do and that's a credit to all West Australians," Mr McGowan said.

WA this week reopened its borders to travellers from Victoria but kept in place a requirement for them to self-isolate for 14 days upon arrival.

NSW and Queensland remain classified as medium-risk states, meaning travellers cannot enter WA without an exemption.

WA is monitoring a total of 14 active cases.