First Qld coronavirus case confirmed on Gold Coast
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has urged Queenslanders to remain calm as dozens of people in the state undergo testing for coronavirus. There remains only one confirmed case in Queensland.
QLD News
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HEALTH authorities are currently testing 41 people in Queensland for the deadly coronavirus.
The state’s Chief Health Officer Jeannette Young today said there was still only one confirmed case in Queensland.
It comes as Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk convened a whole of government meeting with a range of agencies to discuss the state’s response to the virus.
“My message today to Queensland families is please listen to the authorities,” she said.
“We need everyone to be calm.
“We want to make sure our Chinese community is well informed. We are making sure the information is going out in mandarin.”
Health Minister Steven Miles said it was a “rapidly changing situation”.
Dr Young said she was pleased people were getting tested for the virus, which is believed to have first originated in the Chinese province of Wuhan.
“If you’re unwell, stay home,” she said. “Don’t spread any virus in the community.”
She warned that the virus was transmitted through the aie just like the flu and urged Queenslanders to take precautions.
Eight people who were travelling with the man confirmed to have the virus are now in isolation at Gold Coast University Hospital.
Dr Young said the man, a 44-year-old Chinese national, who travelled on Tiger Airways flight TT566 from Melbourne landing on January 27 on the Gold Coast at 8pm, went to his accommodation and became increasingly unwell, calling an ambulance about 3.30pm on Tuesday.
“He currently remains in Gold Coast University Hospital,” she said.
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“There are eight other people in that tour group and they are all currently in isolation.
“Four are unwell and being tested. Four are well and are continuing to be monitored.
“My concern is that those 150-200 people on that plane when he started getting symptoms and then his 24 hours in the Gold Coast community, I need to track exactly where he went.
“We have been working very closely with the Chinese consulate who have been excellent.”
Dr Young said the group would remain in isolation until February 5 and that some of the unwell were children.
“There are some children in the cohort,” Dr Young said.
“This is a virus … We’re dealing with what has to be done.
“I thank the Chinese community for their proactive response for how they’ve dealt with this.
“It’s always very difficult when something is new.”
Dr Young said the man was in his hotel for less than 24 hours.
The Gold Coast City Council will help Queensland Health by setting up fever testing centres, even as it sends some of its own staff home.
More than 100 people turned up to the emergency department of Gold Coast University Hospital on Wednesday night wanting to be tested, putting huge stress on the public hospital system.
Health Minister Steven Miles said Queensland Health was working to contact everyone on that flight, which is believed to have 150-200 passengers, and urging if they need advice to call 13 Health.
Tigerair is urging all staff and crew associated with a Gold Coast flight linked to the state’s first coronavirus case to undergo testing for the disease.
In a statement, a spokesman for Tigerair said the company was working to ensure all staff from the flight reported for testing.
“We are now in the process of contacting the passengers and our crew on this flight to notify them so they can visit their GP for testing,” he said.
“The safety of our passengers and our crew is always our number one priority and we are working closely with the Queensland Health department on this matter.”
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Dr Young said the Wuhan man was stable. Confirmation of the case comes as members of the national Chinese women’s soccer team were in quarantine in a Brisbane hotel until February 5 amid the growing crisis.
In an extraordinary move, Queensland Health has asked the 32 players and their staff to remain in their hotel, which has not been named.
Dr Young said the team arrived in Brisbane from Shanghai at 9am yesterday.
She said the players, who were to train in Brisbane and fly to Sydney for an Olympic qualifying tournament, had left Wuhan on January 22.
They have been asked to remain in isolation until February 5, marking 14 days since they were in Wuhan.
It also comes as five southeast Queensland schools isolate students who have recently returned from China.
Toowong’s Stuartholme School has ten international students in isolation, who will not return to class until after 14 days have passed while Toowoomba Grammar School has isolated seven boarders.
More than 6000 have been infected, including seven in Australia – four in NSW, two in Victoria and now one in Queensland.
Dr Young said all of the footballers were “perfectly well at this point” and were travelling with a team doctor.
“If any of these footballers develop any symptoms, we’ll of course be taking them immediately to one of our hospitals,” she said. “They’ve been extremely co-operative as has the Chinese consulate. They will work with us. There’s no risk to anyone in that hotel, the staff or the community.”
Health Minister Steven Miles said hotel management had asked for time to notify guests and staff before the hotel name was released.
Returned travellers from China’s Hubei Province are now being advised to self-isolate for 14 days after leaving the region. Queenslanders who have travelled to any part of mainland China or Hong Kong are also expected to stay away from early childcare centres, schools or TAFE for the first 14 days after leaving the country.
“We are updating advice to schools to ask them to isolate all students who have travelled to China in the last 14 days until they have been returned in Australia for 14 days without symptoms,” Mr Miles said.
The changes follow new international evidence suggesting the virus could be transmitted within 48 hours before people had symptoms.
“We do not want anyone who has come back from anywhere in China, including Hong Kong, to return to schools for 14 days,” Dr Young said. “That also applies to students, teachers and other staff – and to early childhood centres and TAFEs.”
It comes after more than 856,000 Queensland students returned to school this week. The Courier-Mail understands schools are frustrated with the change to health advice.
The Brisbane Chinese Festival was to be on February 8 but has been postponed.
“Considering the impact coronavirus, Brisbane Chinese Festival Organising Committee has decided to postpone 2020 Brisbane Chinese Festival. As soon as a new date is confirmed, we will let you know,” a statement from organisers read.
“It is a very hard decision, but we believe it is (the) right decision in terms of protection public health.”
Logan’s Chung Tian Temple has also postponed its cultural open day, which was expected to bring 35,000 people to the area on February 2, due to “the outbreak”.
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