Coronavirus Qld: Two taken to hospital on arrival from China

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has issued a plea to Prime Minister Scott Morrison as two passengers arriving in Brisbane from China were whisked to hospital for further assessment for the coronavirus.

PREMIER Annastacia Palaszczuk has asked the Commonwealth to enact naturaldisaster provisions to help states deal with the Coronavirus crisis.

The trigger, usually activated in cyclones and bushfires, would allow the state to recover half the costs it is incurring as it isolates suspected cases to try to contain the virus outbreak.

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That would include the cost of putting up tourists in hotels for two weeks in seclusion.

Ms Palaszczuk said she had written to Prime Minister Scott Morrison about kicking in National Disaster Relief Arrangements and she was hopeful he would consider it.

“We’ve got people going into hotels ... we’ve got costs that are incurred transporting people and everything,” she said.

“We’ve got to make sure that’s being shared equally.”

Two people who arrived at Brisbane International Airport from China today were taken to hospital for further assessment for the novel coronavirus, which has killed more than 360 people.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles said nurses had screened more than 200 travellers arriving into Brisbane from China since Sunday, advising them all to self-isolate for 14 days as part of “precautionary” measures to control the virus.

“This is a new virus and we are doing everything we can to stop its spread,” Mr Miles said.

“Two people have been taken to hospital for further assessment.”

Across Queensland, more than 370 patients have been tested for the new coronavirus since January 22.

Two Chinese tourists, who are being kept in isolation at the Gold Coast University Hospital, remain the only known cases of the virus in Queensland.

Mr Miles said staff at the Queensland Health Forensic and Scientific Services laboratory were working “around the clock” to process tests for the coronavirus, believed to have emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December.

He said contact tracing of all passengers aboard a Tigerair Australia flight TT566 from Melbourne to the Gold Coast on January 27, which carried the state’s only confirmed cases of the Wuhan virus, had been completed.

Cabin crew at Brisbane Airport last week

“We have provided them all with information on what to do if they do experience symptoms,” Mr Miles said.

He said fever clinics had been set up at Gold Coast University Hospital, the Brisbane Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital to help combat the virus.

Mr Miles said other hospitals across the state were also ready to open fever clinics at short notice, if needed.

“These clinics are only for people who our clinicians believe need further assessment for the novel coronavirus,” he said.

“This helps separate patients who potentially have the virus and other patients presenting to emergency departments with other illnesses or injuries.”

Mr Miles urged Queenslanders to stay calm but remain vigilant to “get through this situation as it evolves”.

The Wuhan coronavirus has infected more than 17,000 people, most of them in mainland China.

For further information, contact: 13 HEALTH.