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PM won't be tested despite Peter Dutton's coronavirus diagnosis
By Angus Livingston and Rob Harris
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will not be tested for coronavirus despite spending hours behind closed doors this week with Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who was in a Brisbane hospital on Friday night after contracting the disease.
Mr Morrison's office moved to play down fears up to 20 senior members of the federal government would be forced into self-isolation over the next fortnight, after confirmation they were exposed to a confirmed COVID-19 case during Tuesday's meeting of federal cabinet in Sydney.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton has tested positive for the coronavirus.Credit: AAP
But Mr Morrison has cancelled his plans to attend the Cronulla Sharks’ opening NRL match, just hours after he had vowed to join the crowds at Sydney's ANZ Stadium this weekend.
A government spokesman confirmed Mr Dutton had attended Tuesday’s meeting of federal cabinet in Sydney and Thursday’s meeting of the National Security Committee via video link.
"In advice provided to the Prime Minister this evening, the deputy Chief Medical Officer has reiterated that only people who had close contact with the minister in the preceding 24 hours before he became symptomatic need to self-isolate," Mr Morrison's office said.
The Home Affairs Minister flew to the United States last Thursday to meet security ministers from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance in Washington.
"That does not include the Prime Minister or any other members of the cabinet."
Mr Dutton is the first member of the Australian government to return a positive test for COVID-19. Senior government sources on Friday night said cabinet members were prepared to self-isolate if required, but were following the advice given to all Australians as how to handle exposure to the virus.
In a statement on Friday afternoon, Mr Dutton said he had woken with a temperature and sore throat earlier in the day.
"I immediately contacted the Queensland Department of Health and was subsequently tested for COVID-19. I was advised by Queensland Health this afternoon that the test had returned positive.
"It is the policy of Queensland Health that anyone who tests positive is to be admitted into hospital and I have complied with their advice.
"I feel fine and will provide an update in due course."
The Home Affairs Minister flew to the United States earlier this month to meet security ministers from the Five Eyes intelligence alliance in Washington on Thursday, March 5. He met with US Attorney-General William Barr and Ivanka Trump during the trip.
He returned to Australia at the weekend before travelling on a commercial flight from Brisbane to Sydney for the cabinet meeting.
Mr Morrison spent most of Friday in close contact with state premiers and territory leaders preparing their response to the coronavirus outbreak.
Peter Dutton and Prime Minister Scott Morrison during Question Time at Parliament House in Canberra last Tuesday.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
Mr Dutton had missed his regular weekly television on the Nine Network's Today Show on Friday, with hosts announcing he was sick with a "stomach bug".
The government on Friday night was scrambling to determine the potential extent of any infection, with state premiers, senior ministers, Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy, and Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy all potentially in contact with the virus.
A spokesman for Mr Morrison said he had originally planned to attend the NRL game to make it "very clear" the medical advice from the experts about mass gatherings of more than 500 people was not taking immediate effect and there was "no serious immediate health risk" to Australians attending such events over the weekend.
New Zealand Minister of Internal Affairs Tracey Martin (left) with Canadian Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Bill Blair, Minister for Home Affairs of Australia Peter Dutton, US Attorney-General William Barr and Britain's Minister of State for Security James Brokenshire last week.Credit: EPA
"The PM did not want to create any unnecessary alarm as a result of these proposed new arrangements," a spokesman said.
"After further consideration and the potential for the prime minister’s attendance to be misrepresented, the prime minister has chosen not to attend the match this weekend.
"The Prime Minister believes this would avoid any unnecessary confusion about his attendance."
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said Queensland Health would now undertake the “appropriate contact tracing”.
Before Mr Dutton's diagnosis, Mr Morrison said Parliament would go ahead as planned on March 23 to pass the coronavirus economic stimulus package. People diagnosed with coronavirus have to go to hospital, while people who come into contact with a confirmed case have to self-isolate for 14 days.
New Zealand's Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin said she would self-isolate and get tested after she met Mr Dutton in the US six days ago, Stuff NZ has reported.
She did not recall shaking hands with Dutton but had sat besides him for the 90-minute meeting. He did not display any symptoms, she said.
On Friday, Sophie Trudeau, the wife of Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, tested positive for coronavirus after returning from a trip from Britain. Though Mr Trudeau has no symptoms of the disease, he is self-isolating for the next 14 days. Canada has at least 103 confirmed cases of coronavirus.
with Stuff