Coronavirus Queensland: Nervous wait for results as five patients tested for deadly virus

A second Chinese national feared to have coronavirus has been admitted to hospital on the Gold Coast, making four people being tested there in total. Meanwhile, the first Australian case has been confirmed.

A SECOND Chinese national feared to have coronavirus has been admitted to hospital on the Gold Coast.

The man, aged in his 40s, was taken by ambulance from the Q1 resort in Surfers Paradise this afternoon after showing flu-like symptoms.

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He is believed to have recently returned from an extensive tour of China.

It comes after a female Chinese tourist with flu-like symptoms was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital from the Mantra Sharks Hotel at Southport this morning.

Four people with coronavirus-like symptoms are now being tested at the hospital.

Test results for five people in Queensland who were being assessed for the deadly coronavirus have come back negative.

An ambulance outside Q1 on the Gold Coast where paramedics were called to a patient presenting with suspected symptoms of coronavirus.

It comes after four Queensland patients were cleared of the virus in recent days – which has already killed 41 people in China and infected hundreds more, while the first case of the deadly coronavirus has been confirmed in Australia as five patients in NSW also await results.

One of the five who had been awaiting results was a Chinese tourist who was rushed to hospital on the Gold Coast.

The woman, believed to be aged in her early 50s, was part of a Chinese tour group that flew into Sydney on Friday from Wuhan, where the deadly virus is believed to have broken out.

It’s understood paramedics were called to the Sharks Mantra Hotel at Southport on Saturday morning after the woman exhibited flu-like symptoms.

She was taken to the nearby Gold Coast University Hospital, where two other patients were also being tested for coronavirus.

The other two cases being that were tested were in the Brisbane area.

Speaking before the third Gold Coast case, Queensland’s Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said the State Government was doing everything it could to prevent the disease from entering Australia.

“Queensland is well-prepared. We’ve dealt with health emergencies that have threatened Queensland in the past – swine flu, bird flu, SARS, MERS and Ebola – and we’ll deal with them again,” she said.

“So far Queensland Health has tested four people for the novel coronavirus. All four tested negative. Two further people are currently being tested.”

Staff and passengers from a Shanghai flight have been carefully screened upon arrival in Brisbane for the deadly coronavirus, emerging from customs wearing face masks, this afternoon.

It is understood passengers had their temperature taken before they were allowed to enter the international arrivals area of Brisbane Airport after their flight landed at 1pm.

One passenger said they were screened as a precaution and that people in Shanghai are very worried about the illness.

The virus originated in China and has since spread to several other countries, including the United States and Japan.

Queensland chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

Ms Young yesterday confirmed two suspected cases were being assessed in Queensland.

Dr Young has previously urged anyone returning from Wuhan who has developed respiratory symptoms within 14 days of travel to visit their general practitioner.

People are being urged to call ahead and advise the clinic of their symptoms so precautions can be taken.

Overnight, a child was reportedly rushed to hospital from Sydney Airport to be tested for the virus, but was later released when they were deemed to be cleared.

NSW Health is also testing five other patients for the virus.

The new virus is believed to have spread from animals to humans through the Wuhan South China Seafood City Market, which sells chickens, bats, marmots and other wild animals.