Surging COVID cases in Western Australia has seen the first public health measures introduced since the state's COVID-19 'state of emergency' declaration was dropped.

From Monday, all staff and patients in high-risk hospital clinical areas must wear masks.

WA Premier Roger Cook said the decision was made after a noticeable increase in COVID-19 cases in the community.

"As a result there has been a rise in COVID hospitalisations and health staff off sick," he said in a message posted to his social media pages.

"We need to do what we can to make sure we're keeping each other safe — especially our most vulnerable."

Masks will need to be worn around vulnerable patients in wards such as haematology, oncology, organ transplant and renal dialysis. 

Mr Cook said mask wearing was also recommended for all healthcare facility staff and visitors in all clinical areas. 

Masks urged at Coldplay concerts

Infectious diseases expert Paul Griffin said people with medical issues may want to consider dusting off their masks if they are among more than 130,000 fans attending the Coldplay concerts at Perth Stadium over the weekend.

 

Perth Stadium on Friday afternoon ahead of the weekend Coldplay concerts.(ABC News)

"If I was immunocompromised or had medical problems or otherwise high-risk, then I would certainly consider [wearing a mask] of course," he told ABC Radio Perth.

"An event like that is going to mean there's going to be lots of people in close proximity, so the risk will be significant."

However, Dr Griffin expected each new COVID wave to get "shorter in duration" and lower in magnitude due to improved vaccinations. 

He said a new booster designed for the Omicron variant XBB.1.5 had been approved for use in Australia, but was not yet available. 

 

Dr Paul Griffin is an infectious diseases physician and microbiologist.(Supplied)

"So hopefully, we'll hear more about that soon, and the main thing about that is we need people to understand that uptake is then going to be the single biggest determinant as to how much benefit we get from that," he said. 

"So we'll really need people to get on board and get that booster when it's available."

There are 201 patients in hospital with COVID this week, up from 134 at the start of the month.

Hospitalisations remain lower than the levels reached during the two most recent COVID peaks in WA, which saw 268 COVID hospitalisations in December 2022, and 258 in May 2023.

But WA's Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson warned earlier this week he expected this current wave to get larger.

"I expect it will track upwards a bit further," Dr Robertson said.

He urged people to be responsible if they felt unwell. 

"Please don't go and visit your grandparents, or go to a nursing home or hospital."

WA's COVID-19 state of emergency ended on October 31, 2022, more than two and a half years after it began. 

The extraordinary powers allowed the government to shut the state's borders, enforce lockdowns and introduce far-reaching COVID restrictions.