A total of 8133 new cases of COVID-19 have been reported across Western Australia overnight, with two deaths also recorded.

A man in his 70s and another in his 80s who both died on March 22 after testing positive were reported to WA Health yesterday.

There are 209 people with COVID-19 in hospital and 10 in intensive care, with Premier Mark McGowan stating on Thursday that hospital and ICU numbers were the best measurement to determine the impact of the virus in WA.

A total of 17,907 PCR tests were conducted at either state-run or private pathology clinics.

The new cases come after the WA government announced it would distribute thousands of free RATs across regional WA as an incentive to increase testing in remote communities, with 180,000 tests available from March 29.

Tap PLAY below to hear Gareth Parker discuss the WA Premier’s new focus