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Hundreds of UWA students tested for COVID after LipDub singing competition

Brianna Dugan and Briana FioreThe West Australian
VideoWA Premier Mark McGowan announces three day lockdown

Hundreds of UWA students are being tested for COVID-19 after it was revealed an infected man visited a dining hall at one of the university’s residential colleges.

St Catherine’s College, along with three other university housing colleges, participated in a lip-syncing competition called LipDub on Tuesday.

The infected man stayed at St Catherine’s while he was contagious.

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“Anyone who experiences symptoms (including shortness of breath and fever) must remain at their place of residence and immediately contact a healthcare provider by telephone for advice and regarding testing,” an email to students from Vice Chancellor Amit Chakma said.

A spokesperson for university housing said all students who attended LipDub on Tuesday were being told to get tested immediately.

St Catherine’s won this year’s competition by creating a lip syncing video of Wham!’s Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go.

An international student from Spain told The West Australian he “had a sore throat” and wanted to get tested.

People wait in line to be tested for COVID-19 after the announcement of a three-day lockdown.
Camera IconPeople wait in line to be tested for COVID-19 after the announcement of a three-day lockdown. Credit: Briana Fiore

Another student said she had been experiencing “cold and flu symptoms for days”.

“I have come down with something, I don’t know what it is yet, only time will tell,” she said.

A third student said he felt “fine” but had eaten from the St Catherine’s dining hall.

Constant coughing and sputtering could be heard from the queue — which had wrapped itself around several street corners.

Some people brought books and one even had a camper chair.

People who had been waiting in line for more than an hour said the line had not moved.

Medical staff in full PPE were handing out masks and water to the hundreds of anxious people in line.

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