Western Australia is introducing Australia's toughest Covid-19 public health restrictions despite having just 11 people in hospital with the virus.
Year three students and above will be required to wear face masks in public and home gatherings will be limited to 10 people under new rules coming into effect statewide from 12.01am on Thursday.
Hospitality venues will avoid being subject to a four square metre density rule but will be limited to 150 patrons.
WA on Monday recorded a further 1,140 infections but none of the 11 cases in hospital are in intensive care.
The state now has 5,540 active cases.
Western Australian Premier Mark McGowan pictured right with his wife Sarah.
WA is bringing in tough new Covid restrictions
Among the new infections were 476 self-reported positive rapid antigen tests (RAT).
Premier Mark McGowan insisted the strict new 'level two' rules were necessary to manage an outbreak which the government now expects to peak at about 10,000 daily cases within two to three weeks.
He said he was hopeful they would only need to remain in place for a month.
'Based on the experience over east, this Omicron outbreak is expected to peak before the end of March,' he said.
'Case numbers will dramatically rise, hospitalisations will rise, 안전한놀이터 some people will get very sick and tragically, some people may die.
'March will be the most difficult month Western Australia experiences in this whole pandemic and we would be irresponsible if we didn't have the most appropriate measures in place during the period where they are most required.'
Mr McGowan said the home gathering cap was being introduced because the virus often spread during those visits.
'We know from the experience around the country, that it is the home gatherings of families that cause the most spread of the virus,' he said.