Melbourne passengers told to ‘self-quarantine’ after flight as 10th coronavirus case confirmed
Worried passengers who shared a Melbourne-bound flight with a man infected by the coronavirus have been told so almost a week after touching down at Tullamarine. It comes as yet another Victorian is diagnosed with the virus.
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Passengers on a Melbourne-bound flight en route to Tasmania have been reportedly told to “self quarantine” for a fortnight after sharing the plane with a man who tested positive for coronavirus.
The infected Australian man flew from Iran to Launceston via Melbourne on Saturday and his diagnosis comes as a separate coronavirus diagnosis brings the state’s total to 10.
He travelled on Virgin flight VA-1368 which left Tullamarine airport at 1.10pm.
Passengers, speaking to 3AW Breakfast, said they were only told yesterday about the potential exposure to the deadly virus.
Passenger Kim said he was called by a government nurse who alerted him to the fact he was sitting within 3m of the infected man.
He was instructed to self quarantine for 14 days.
The Chief Health Officer and has been contacted for comment.
Virgin Australia said the passenger was travelling alone and had arrived in Melbourne from Iran via Malaysia.
“Based on medical advice we have received, the risk of contracting coronavirus is low for other passengers who travelled on this aircraft,” a Virgin spokeswoman said.
“The Tasmanian Department of Health will be working closely with these passengers on any concerns and we have taken the added measure of thoroughly cleaning this aircraft.”
Virgin said they had provided passenger details to the Tasmanian Department of Health to contact all passengers who were on the flight as well as contacting the crew who worked on the flight.
The warning comes as a 10th coronavirus case has been confirmed in Victoria.
The Victorian man returned from Iran on February 26.
He did not display symptoms on his flight home but then became unwell with a mild illness on March 1.
Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said he went to a hospital the next day and was immediately tested and isolated.
“There are no close contacts or casual contacts in the public to follow up at this time,” Professor Sutton said.
Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said a man in his 30s, who recently returned from Iran, had been diagnosed with the virus.
He has self-isolated and is now almost free of symptoms.
In another travel scare, a passenger taken from a plane after it arrived at Avalon Airport on Tuesday has been cleared of coronavirus.
Victoria’s Department of Health has confirmed blood samples taken from the passenger in Geelong Hospital have been tested and cleared for COVID-19.
Earlier today health authorities confirmed Victoria’s 10th case, with 40 cases now across Australia.
More than 1700 Victorians have now been tested and cleared for suspected COVID-19 infections.
Premier Daniel Andrews earlier this week warned Victorians some health services may have to be delayed if coronavirus cases surge across the state.
Mr Andrews said the option was not yet on the cards but cautioned it could become a possibility as more cases were identified.
“In the interest of being completely clear with people it may be that we need to defer or cancel a whole range of non-urgent care,” he said.
“There will be large numbers of people who are sicker and need to be treated much quicker than those who might be on elective surgery waiting lists.
“That will be inconvenient. That will be challenging but that is the only evidence-based (and) fact-based way to respond to the circumstances.
“That may be the case. We’re not there yet.”
Mr Andrews said the state government would provide $6 million to the Peter Doherty Institute for Infection and Immunity.
The money will be used in partnership with the Burnet Institute to fast-track new treatments and vaccine research.
“We can be proud as Victorians that we have the best and brightest minds in science and medical research,” he said.
Victoria’s deputy chief health officer for communicable disease s, Dr Annaliese van Diemen, said people should use common sense when it came to shaking and washing hands.
“I know there’s been a lot of discussions in the last 24 hours about stopping handshakes,” she said.
“What we’re recommending is people be sensible.
“The highest priorities at the moment are ensuring that you wash your hands regularly and thoroughly, particularly when they’re visibly soiled.
“Cough in to your elbow, sneeze into your elbow and try very hard to avoid touching the face.
“Which, once you concentrate on it, is a very difficult thing to do.”
Dr van Diemen said the Federal Government was working to check flight manifests and boarding cards more quickly.
“We have been working very hard for a number of years with Commonwealth agencies in order to speed up this process,” she said.
GRAND PRIX IS ‘ALL SYSTEMS GO’
Australian Grand Prix chief Andrew Westacott has reaffirmed Melbourne’s race is “all systems go’’ despite fears coronavirus could impact foreign teams travelling for the event.
Vietnam has imposed two week quarantine restrictions on anyone travelling from Italy, ahead of its inaugural F1 race in April.
Italian based motorsport giant Ferrari has sought assurances about team members it sends to Australia for next week’s race, with more than 1800 confirmed coronavirus cases in the country.
And F1 motorsport boss Ross Brawn revealed F1 could not hold a world championship race in any country that denies any team access due to coronavirus restrictions.
But Mr Westacott said Victoria was going to “put on a very safe event that all Melburnians can be proud of’’ at Albert Park from March 13-15.
“We’re working very closely with the government at a Victorian level and a national level and they’re the ones that protect our borders and set the rules,’’ he told RSN radio today.
“But the rules are that it’s all systems go for the Grand Prix.’’
Ferrari suspended most business trips for staff, cancelled all tours of its Italian factory near the European epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak and kept key team members in Barcelona after pre-season testing.
Mr Westacott said Ferrari staff were already on their way to Melbourne.
F1 teams have been told to keep team members travelling to Melbourne for the race to a minimum.
And Mr Brawn told British media: “If a team is prevented from entering a country we can’t have a race.
“Not a Formula One world championship race, anyway, because that would be unfair.
“Obviously if a team makes its own choice not to go to a race, that’s their decision.
“But where a team is prevented from going to a race because of a decision of the country then it’s difficult to have a fair competition.”
Italy has the highest number of coronavirus cases and deaths from the outbreak outside China.
The Chinese Grand Prix scheduled for April 19 has been suspended as well as MotoGP events in Qatar and Thailand due to the virus.
- WITH GRANT MCARTHUR