A Perth man has sparked outrage in Western Australia by posting on Facebook that he tested ‘Covid-19’ positively – while the city went under emergency lockdown five days after ‘first community release by the state in 10 months.
Philip Latour said he was suffering from ‘respiratory problems’ and took himself to the emergency department of Fiona Stanley Hospital on Saturday.
Six hours after he shared a selfie from his hospital bed, Mr Latour shared another photo of his blood test results showing that he tested positive for Covid-19.
Mr Latour’s post feared the uprising was escalating after a hotel quarantine worker tested Covid-19 on Saturday night and locked up Perth for five days.
However, the WA Department of Health said it would be considered a ‘historic case’ that was contaminated in December 2020 with very little risk to the community due to its weak PCR test (polymerase chain reaction).
Philip Latour (pictured) took himself to hospital on Saturday after having difficulty breathing and sharing a selfie
‘The Department of Health believes this was a historic case and that this person was arrested in Mexico in December 2020,’ Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson told Western Australia.
‘He has just finished two weeks in a hotel quarantine in Sydney and there were no issues in the hotel that could have been caught.’
Mr Latour will perform another nasal throat PCR swab on Monday and the result is believed to be even weaker, or negative.
A serology test that measures antibodies in a patient’s blood serum will be performed to confirm that Mr. Latour is not contagious and has an old infection.
‘This patient was treated with precautionary measures and transferred to a hotel quarantine – where they will wait until results are returned,’ the department continued.
‘Fiona Stanley Hospital has asked a number of staff involved in the initial treatment to stay at home – until the patient’ s results are returned. ‘
Mr Latour told West he had tried to protect the community by telling his story.
However, the Department of Health considers Mr Latour’s result to be considered a ‘historic issue’ due to a ‘weak PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test’.
WA Premier Premier Mark McGowan announced the five-day lockdown on Sunday after a security guard at a quarantine hotel tested positive for a coronavirus and visited at least 16 locations around the city.
Perth, Peel and the South West are closed until Friday – covering about 80 per cent of the WA population.
The three regions have been separated, resulting in people being prevented from traveling between them without freedom. Road checkpoints have been established to ensure compliance.
The infectious worker worked two movements at Sheraton Four Points in Perth CBD, and was located on a floor where at least one returned passenger was found with the UK strain of the disease, which is up to 80 percent more contagious than the original Chinese coronavirus. .
Western Australian Prime Minister Mark McGowan held an emergency press conference on Sunday
Mr McGowan said genomic sequences were already underway, but that it would be reasonable to assume that the man maintained the mutant strain, and that his close ties would be positive in the days to come.
The state enjoyed nearly 10 months without a single case of Covid-19 in the community, an action Mr McGowan believes for his tight border stance.
Under the locking orders, residents cannot leave their homes for four reasons; shopping for essential goods such as groceries and medicine, seeking medical treatment, exercising for an hour every day and working if one cannot work remotely.
All pubs, clubs, playgrounds and gyms in Perth are closed, while restaurants are open for takeaways only and visits to care homes and hospitals have been banned.
Schools will remain closed – they were due to reopen on Monday for the first day of the year.
Restrictions have also been reinstated for funerals, limiting them to just 10 people while locked.
A wedding was postponed during the lockout.
Residents are required to wear face masks when outdoors and face masks are also mandatory at indoor workplaces.
Masks are mandatory on public transport.
Anyone within the locked-in areas is urged to keep it out so that the virus does not spread to regional and vulnerable communities.
‘We strongly encourage everyone in this area who is from another WA area to stay, here,’ Mr McGowan said.
‘Do not travel further outside this area until the lock is over.’