Chinese national, 37, confirmed as fifth coronavirus case

The number of coronavirus cases in Queensland has grown to five after a 37-year-old woman became the 15th person in Australia diagnosed with the potentially deadly illness.

A FIFTH member of a Chinese tour group has tested positive to the Wuhan coronavirus in Queensland.

The 37-year-old woman is the 15th person in Australia diagnosed with the new virus, which is concerning health authorities across the globe.

She is in isolation in the Gold Coast University Hospital.

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The woman flew into the Gold Coast from Melbourne on January 27 with eight other members of the tour group.

Five of them, including an eight-year-old boy, have since tested positive to the novel coronavirus, which has infected more than 28,000 people and killed more than 550.

All Queensland cases are listed as stable.

The Chinese tour group has been in quarantine since a 44-year-old male member was diagnosed on January 29.

A tourist with a mask to protect from coronavirus at Surfers Paradise. Picture: Nigel Hallett

They travelled from Wuhan, in China’s central Hubei Province, via Singapore, into Melbourne, on January 22.

Most cases of the new virus have been in mainland China, where it is believed to have emerged in Wuhan, in December.

Governments worldwide are taking extraordinary measures to contain its spread.

All of Australia’s 15 cases so far have originated in Wuhan, except one in NSW who had contact in China with a confirmed case Wuhan, population about 11 million.

Apart from the five cases diagnosed Queensland, four people have tested positive in Victoria, four in NSW and two in South Australia.

In Japan, hundreds of Australians are confined to their cabins on the Diamond Princess cruise ship after 20 passengers tested positive to the coronavirus.

Two Australians are among those who have been taken from the ship to hospital after contracting the virus on-board.

More than 2600 passengers and about 1000 crew members remain on the ship and are expected to have to stay on-board in mandatory quarantine for 14 days.