Coronavirus testing plea: ‘You need to come forward’

Surgical masks are now ubiquitous across Sydney, with residents fearful of catching the deadly and fast-spreading coronavirus.

Coronavirus testing is ramping up in NSW as authorities await laboratory results for 16 new possible cases referred for investigation.

NSW chief medical officer Kerry Chant urged recent visitors to the Chinese province of Hubei – the epicentre of the viral outbreak – to come forward.

“We want to get the message out that people with low-level symptoms need to come forward,” she said. “We want to detect those cases and it will help us to better understand the disease.”

Sydney commuters have increasingly taken to wearing masks in public, including on public transport, over fears the virus is spreading.

Ivy Sanchez and her mother Loreto wear face masks on a Sydney train line as concern over the coronavirus coming out of China grows. Picture: David Swift

More and more commuters like Calvin Xiao, from Croydon, are wearing face masks. Picture: David Swift

But according to chief medical officer Brendan Murphy, the panic isn’t necessary.

“We’re not recommending that the general Australian public wear masks or take protection,” he said. “We have only five confirmed cases in Australia. There is no evidence of human-to-human transmission in Australia.

“The Australian public should go about their business, reassured that the risk to them is extremely low.”

So too is Francisca Tjahja, from Dulwich Hill. Picture: David Swift

Dr Chant on Wednesday afternoon confirmed 16 possible coronavirus cases were being investigated in NSW, including one involving a two-year-old child.

Two people confirmed to be infected in NSW have improved significantly and could soon be released from hospital isolation, Dr Chant added.

There have been more than 40 people tested for the infection in NSW. The NSW Government is urging parents to keep their children home from school if they have travelled to China in the past 14 days.

The Federal Government on Wednesday afternoon changed its coronavirus containment advice after an earlier disagreement with NSW and Western Australia.

IT student Christine Carandang is also not taking any chances. Picture: David Swift

Anyone in Australia who has been to China’s Hubei province should now isolate themselves at home for 14 days after the visit, Health Minister Greg Hunt said. There are now seven confirmed cases of the virus in Australia, including four in NSW, two in Victoria and one in Queensland.

Australians trapped in the Chinese city of Wuhan due to the viral outbreak will be evacuated to Christmas Island.