Western Australia’s daily COVID case numbers dipped to 6176 overnight, with four of 134 hospital patients in ICU, as the government ramps up its free RAT program.

More than 500,000 tests will be distributed at shopping centres and train stations at Armadale, Cannington, Perth, Leederville, Warwick, Midland and Bassendean from today, as well as the weekend’s Perth Wildcats game at RAC Arena and West Coast’s home fixture at Optus Stadium.

Pop-up stations offering free tests in Broome, Geraldton, Albany and Bunbury begin on March 28, on top of the 15 free tests for each WA household announced this week.

Researchers from the Telethon Kids Institute will also door knock homes across Perth this weekend to conduct testing, as WA Health tries to quantify the level of asymptomatic COVID-19 infections in the community.

Lead researcher Professor Nick Golding said the weekend blitz would randomly test residents across the metro area to get a better snapshot of community spread, after similar projects in Queensland and the UK found high levels of undetected infections there, with test results provided to participants by Monday.

“We know here and in other parts of the world that not every person who has COVID will go get tested,” he said.

Tap PLAY below to hear Professor Golding chat about the project on 6PR Breakfast this morning