Queensland's first coronavirus case confirmed

The coronavirus has spread to Queensland with the state's health department confirming late on Wednesday a Chinese man has tested positive and is isolated in the Gold Coast University Hospital.

Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said the 44-year-old Chinese national is from the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak, and is in a stable condition.

The man is currently isolated at the Gold Coast University Hospital.Credit: Robert Shakespeare

The Brisbane Chinese Festival, planned for February 8 and 9, and Logan's Chung Tian Temple Open Day, due to be held on February 2, have been postponed as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

There are four confirmed coronavirus cases in New South Wales and two in Victoria, bringing the national total to seven.

Meanwhile, the Chinese national women's football team is in quarantine in a Brisbane hotel after flying into the country via Wuhan in Hubei Province.

The team was training in Brisbane ahead of an Olympic qualifying tournament in Sydney and the name of the hotel has not yet been released by authorities.

The Chinese national team at last year's FIFA Women's World Cup in France.Credit: Julien Mattia

They will remain in isolation until February 5, which would be two weeks since they were in Wuhan Province. They were due to play Thailand at Sydney's Campbelltown Stadium on February 3.

Dr Young said the team consisted of 32 players and staff.

"There is absolutely no risk to anyone else in that hotel or staff in that hotel," she said.

"They’ve been extremely co-operative, as has the Chinese consulate, and they will work with us and the hotel has been fantastic as well.

"If any of these footballers, who are perfectly well at this point and have their own team doctor with them, develop any symptoms we will take them immediately to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital or Princess Alexandra Hospital to be tested and isolated."

Dr Young said concerning new international advice was released on Tuesday night.

"Some new evidence came out of Germany and some other countries and it looks as if the modern coronavirus can be transmitted for 48 hours prior to someone having symptoms," she said.

"That is new advice, we were not aware of that before so we [state and territory health officers] have had to meet today and work through what that means for the advice that we give."

Football Federation Australia said on Wednesday evening it was assessing the ramifications of the coronavirus developments on the Olympic qualifying tournament.

"This major new development confirmed that health experts believe the coronavirus is contagious before people show symptoms, and contacts of any confirmed cases must now be isolated following exposure," the FFA statement said.

"As a result of these developments, which came to light following today's match schedule announcements, FFA will not be going on sale tomorrow with tickets for the tournament."

The Olympic qualifying tournament, also featuring Australia's Matildas, Taiwan and Thailand, was originally scheduled to be played in Wuhan, but it was moved to Sydney as a result of the outbreak.

Meanwhile, Dr Young said the coronavirus prevention advice was also changed on Wednesday, with emphasis on children heading back to Queensland schools.

"Any child returning from Hubei Province, in the centre of China where the capital Wuhan has seen the majority of cases, or teacher cannot return to a school for 14 days since leaving Hubei," she said.

"We are also saying, to be extraordinarily cautious, that we don’t want children [or staff] who have come back from anywhere in China, including Hong Kong, to return to school, early childhood centres or TAFE campuses for 14 days.

"Also, anyone who has been in contact with a confirmed case needs to self-isolate in their home for 14 days after that contact.

"They cannot go out into the community. That is a change, before we were saying if they were well, they could continue with their normal life."