Coronavirus: Health experts say latest Gold Coast COVID-19 case contained but vigilance warned

The most recent Gold Coast case of the potentially deadly coronavirus has so far been contained, according to health experts.

THE most recent Gold Coast case of the potentially deadly coronavirus has so far been contained, according to health experts.

A 63-year-old woman who works at an Australia Fair beauty salon was diagnosed with the disease on Thursday after returning from a trip to Iran.

She has been in insolation at the Gold Coast University Hospital since February 27.

Queensland Health chief health officer Dr Jeannette Young said this morning that no one else who worked at the salon had shown symptoms of coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

She said public health officers on the Gold Coast had been working to find about 40 people who attended the Hair Plus Salon in Southport on Thursday.

Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles and Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young speak to media at a press conference after a Gold Coast woman was diagnosed with the coronavirus. Picture: AAP

Dr Young said a number had attended the hospital yesterday.

“None of them were unwell but there is no requirement to go into home quarantine,” she said.

“They did not have that sustained 15 minute exposure.”

Dr Young praised the woman for doing “everything right” once she began to show symptoms.

She said there was no risk for people on the plane with the woman as she did not develop symptoms until about 3pm on Thursday, February 27.

Dr Young urged people to be vigilant about symptoms for 14 days after returning from trips overseas or coming in contact with someone who developed the virus.

Risk of the virus is not over, with health professionals expected to be on the alert for the next two to three months.

“I expect we will see an outbreak of the epidemic in that time frame,” Dr Young said.

Gold Coast Health had established extra fever clinics to help manage demand for testing.

A number of clinical symptoms have been reported in identified cases of COVID-19, including: fever, a dry cough, sore throat, fatigue and shortness of breath.

There have now been nine people in Queensland with COVID-19 including the three people from the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship.

There are a total of 23 confirmed cases in Australia and globally there is more than 84,119 and 2867 deaths.

Majority of cases have occurred in China but there have also been major outbreaks in Italy, Iran, South Korea and Japan.

If you have been overseas in the last 14 days and feel unwell please immediately see a doctor. Please call ahead to the GP surgery or hospital to let them know you may be infected with the novel coronavirus.