Hon. Jacqui Boydell asks about the transport of regional COVID-19 patients to metropolitan areas for diagnosis, the development of a localised COVID-19 information website, and the rationale behind not disclosing case localities, given the existing disclosure of travel details. The parliamentary secretary responds that no regional residents were transported to the metropolitan area for diagnosis up to March 31, 2020, and that locality information is available on the Department of Health website.

AnsweredQoN 324Legislative Council
Asked
2 April 2020
Portfolio
Health

QuestionView source ↗

CORONAVIRUS —
DAILY DATA RELEASE
324. Hon JACQUI BOYDELL to the parliamentary secretary to
the Minister for Health:
I refer to daily data released by
the minister detailing the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
(1) Of those that are considered positive metropolitan
results, were any of those patients transported originally by the Royal
Flying Doctor Service, St John Ambulance or by other means from the regions to
the metropolitan area where they received their diagnosis?
(2) If yes to
(1), how many patients fall into this category and from which regions were they
transported?
(3) Is the
government developing a website where localised information on confirmed cases
of COVID-19 can be readily accessed to improve contact tracing while protecting
patient confidentiality?
(4) Why is the
minister reluctant to not advise and confirm cases at a locality level when the
Department of Health's HealthyWA website discloses confirmed cases'
travel by air, including the flight number, and even close contact rows on the
aircraft?

AnswerView source ↗

I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. I note that this question was submitted and the
reply prepared on Tuesday, 31 March.
(1) Up to 31
March 2020, there have been no regional residents with positive COVID-19 test
results obtained from a metropolitan site who were transported by any means
from the regions to the metropolitan area to receive their diagnosis.
(2) Not applicable.
(3) For every
confirmed case, the Department of Health conducts contact tracing to identify
close contacts. A dedicated section exists on the department's website
to provide this information transparently and publicly.
I table the information extracted
from that website as at 1 April.
(4) Details of
confirmed cases' locality can also be found on the Department of Health
website. I table a printout from that website on 1 April.
[See paper 3771 .]

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