By Juliano Oliveira
Queensland Health wants to minimize any principle of fear as the first case of coronavirus has tested positive on the Gold Coast.
Instead, the authorities are urging the population to be calm and follow the health procedures already announced.
“The community has a big part to play in stopping the spread of coronavirus. Just like you would in flu season, wash your hands regularly, cover your cough or sneeze and, if you feel unwell, avoid contact with others and get medical attention, ” Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said.
“And we also need the community to remain calm. You can rest assured we are working around the clock to manage this rapidly evolving issue.”
All travellers:
- Contacts of any confirmed novel coronavirus case must self-isolate for 14 days following exposure.
- Returned travellers who have visited Hubei Province of China need to self-isolate for 14 days after leaving Hubei Province.
Childcare, school and TAFE students:
- Contacts of any confirmed novel coronavirus case must self-isolate and should not attend school, childcare or TAFE for 14 days following exposure.
- Returned travellers who have visited China, including Hong Kong, should not attend school, childcare or TAFE for 14 days after leaving China, including Hong Kong.
- This includes students, teachers and anyone who works or attends these facilities.
- Self-isolation means staying at home and not accepting visitors.
The case
The man, 44, remains in a stable condition at Gold Coast University Hospital (GCUH), where he is in isolation.
Contact tracing is underway to determine if other people need to be tested for coronavirus.
The man, who is from the city of Wuhan (Hubei Province), arrived in Melbourne via Singapore as part of a tour group on 22 January 2020, five days before feeling unwell.
He developed symptoms on a flight from Melbourne to the Gold Coast on Tiger Airways flight #TT566 on 27 January. The flight arrived at 8:45 pm.
He was taken to GCUH about 3:30 pm on 28 January where he was tested and diagnosed with coronavirus.
Eight other people from the same tour group are also in isolation in GCUH.
“There is a low risk to the people on the flight so we will be contacting each one of them,” Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said.