Authorities prepared for 'all eventualities' as Australia braces for more coronavirus cases

Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy expects more cases of coronavirus to crop up across Australia.

Australian evacuees from Wuhan arrive at the quarantine centre 30km southeast of Darwin, Sunday, 9 February, 2020.

Australian evacuees from Wuhan arrive at the quarantine centre 30km southeast of Darwin, Sunday, 9 February, 2020. Source: AAP

Australia's chief medical officer is bracing for more cases of coronavirus across the country, saying authorities are prepared for "all eventualities".

Ten Australians are being treated for the virus, and another five have already recovered.

A further 540 are still in quarantine in Darwin and on Christmas Island.

"It's very likely we will see some more cases in Australia," Brendan Murphy told ABC radio on Wednesday.



He said while Australia is still containing the virus, there is a risk of an outbreak in many of the provinces of China.

The worst-case scenario would be if the virus - - was very severe and there was a significant pandemic in Australia.

"That would obviously be a very significant strain on our health system and on our economy," he said.

"We are not anticipating that at the moment but we are certainly prepared for all eventualities."
The number of fatalities from China's new coronavirus epidemic jumped to 1,110 nationwide on Wednesday after hard-hit Hubei province reported 94 new deaths.

In its daily update, Hubei's health commission also confirmed another 1,638 new cases in the central province, where the outbreak emerged in December.

There are now more than 44,200 confirmed cases across China, based on previously released figures from the government.
The first group of people to be quarantined on Christmas Island could be allowed to leave on Monday.

Testing on one person is due to be completed on Wednesday.

"If that was positive, that may require a small group that have been in contact with that person to remain in quarantine, but all the tests so far have been negative," Professor Murphy said.

The Australian Health Protection Principal Committee will meet on Thursday to consider whether the travel ban on Chinese visitors should be lifted.
Professor Murphy said while the ban has had a huge impact on students and tourism and other economic factors, the government has taken expert clinical advice in the past.

The head of World Health Organisation Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tuesday said .

Australian Medical Association president Tony Bartone said the message was timely.

Dr Bartone said while Australia has been "very robustly" at the forefront of efforts, not everyone is doing their utmost to ensure "what is currently a very serious situation does not become a major calamitous outbreak".

He declined to point the finger at any particular country.

However, Professor Murphy felt it was "very surprising" that no cases had been reported in neighbouring and highly populated Indonesia.

"There should be a cause for some concern. There may be undetected cases," he said.
Staff members wearing protective gear prepare to enter the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama,  Japan, 10 February 2020.
Staff members wearing protective gear prepare to enter the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan, 10 February 2020. Source: AAP
Chinese authorities believe the spread of the virus has peaked and it will be over by April.

But Professor Murphy said it is too early to make such predictions as to whether the Chinese are getting on top of this at the moment.

"We are still seeing significant growth in the Hubei province and less growth in other provinces," he said.

He believes there is still some way to go creating a vaccine, agreeing with the WHO estimate that it is still 18 months away.


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3 min read
Published 12 February 2020 10:50am
Updated 12 February 2020 12:11pm



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