Western Australia's capital of Perth and the neighbouring Peel region will enter a snap three-day lockdown from midnight on Friday after a man tested positive for Covid-19 after emerging from hotel quarantine.

Health officials have said that he is likely to have contracted the virus during a two-week quarantine stay in a Perth hotel, raising concerns about community transmission as more virulent virus strains emerge, according to Reuters.

One of his close contacts in Perth has been found to have Covid-19, Western Australia Premier Mark McGowan said in a televised news conference where he announced the lockdown.

“I know this is hard to take and I wish we didn't need to do this. But we can't take any chances with the virus,” McGowan said.