Worried that the new coronavirus could spread in Australia, the Chinese community has called for voluntary isolation from Chinese returnees.
The new state`s health department has confirmed that four people in the state may be infected with coronavirus, and that the deadly virus may have a incubation period of up to 14 days, meaning some may have carried the virus but have not developed symptoms, raising concerns.
A heated discussion on social app, a chinese social media platform, shows that the local chinese community is concerned that compatriots returning to china during the spring festival may bring the virus to australia, and that especially those returning to wuhan. Wuhan is the center of the epidemic, the city and surrounding cities have been "blocked."
Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the peak period for many Australian Chinese and foreign students to visit relatives and friends in China. According to the lunar calendar, the Spring Festival usually lasts 15 days on Saturday, January 25 this year.
While Australian federal and state health officials have screened passengers with suspicious symptoms coming directly from Wuhan as cases of infection have increased elsewhere in China, some fear the risk could rise. As more Chinese-Australians return to Australia following the Spring Festival celebrations next month, there have been calls for authorities to expand screening of all passengers from China.
Next Wednesday, the new term begins, according to The Australian. Some anxious australian chinese parents in sydney have written to their children`s schools, calling for a ban on returning to school for children who have recently returned to china and advising them to stay at home for at least a week.
"Doing so is responsible for yourself and others," said one parent in the parent social app group. Another parent said," The children are too young to understand. There`s too much physical contact, and if they`re infected, it`s scary. "
The kunzhou chinese doctors association posted on social app, calling on all australians returning from china to implement 14-day self-segregation after returning home and advising them to make appointments for family doctors before they get sick.
Another Chinese poster, published by a group called Welife, echoed it, calling it "our best support for Wuhan."
Meanwhile, the chinese in australia are reminded to be vigilant and seek treatment if necessary.
Embassy said in a statement on its social app account that "embassy in australia has reminded citizen in australia to pay attention to measures to strengthen its own precautions. If you have symptoms such as fever and cough, please seek medical treatment in time. "
