Passengers at leave wuhan airport are subject to temperature tests. (Photo by the Sydney Morning Herald)
A man who had previously returned from Wuhan via Sydney to Brisbane had symptoms of a suspected new type of pneumonia and was quarantined at home and awaiting test results. At a time when there is no such thing as vaccine-preventable, human-to-human-transmitted disease-the country is today escalating its travel alert to china, prime minister scott morrison has called for calm.
For in-depth reports, please click: new pneumonia suspected of breaching Australia, strict prevention of Wuhan-Sydney flights
Wuhan, a city of 11 million people, is the source of the new coronavirus outbreak. Australia`s Foreign and Trade Department`s official website on Tuesday afternoon updated the travel alert, noting that "China`s authorities confirmed on January 20,2020 that a new type of coronavirus had erupted in Wuhan, Hubei province. We now recommend that all Australians remain highly vigilant in Wuhan. If you have been to Wuhan and have symptoms of respiratory diseases, please contact your doctor. For more information, see our health section. "
The Australian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade noted that the current travel warning for China as a whole is "to maintain a normal security alert ", and that" high alert also applies to Tiibet and Xinjiang ", in addition to Wuhan.
But after hearing a briefing from Australia`s chief medical officer Brendan Murphy on Tuesday, Prime Minister Morrison called on Australians to remain calm about the potential spread of the deadly disease to Australia.
The new coronavirus, unlike SARS, has a much higher mortality rate, Morrison claims.
He told Sky News:" There are only a few death cases and are being closely monitored relative to the extent of the outbreak in China. "
