Queensland health chief’s blunt coronavirus outbreak warning

Queensland‘s most senior health officer says she expects to see an outbreak of the epidemic in the community soon.

Dr Jeanette Young, Chief Health Officer of Queensland, says she expects to see an outbreak in the community.

Queensland health authorities responding to the coronavirus epidemic are telling anyone who has returned from anywhere overseas in the past fortnight, and is now unwell, to report to hospital or their doctor.

Stepping up the state’s response to the global outbreak, Queensland chief health officer Jeannette Young said she expected that in the next few months, “I expect we’ll see an outbreak of the epidemic here in Queensland”.

Health Minister Steven Miles also committed $20m in additional funding for hospitals to try to reduce elective surgery waiting lists in case the outbreak hits during the busy winter flu season.

“We know our hospitals and our ICUs will be very, very busy if a coronavirus outbreak occurs here in Queensland, and particularly if it occurs around our usual peak of activity, being the flu season through the middle of the year,” Mr Miles said.

The extra funding means more specialist outpatient appointments and operating theatres for elective surgery open during weekends and the normal Easter shutdown. Areas of demand are ear nose and throat specialists and ophthalmology, Mr Miles said.

Of the three Queensland patients with coronavirus who had been repatriated from the Japanese cruise ship, two have now been discharged from hospital and are well.

Dr Young said Queensland authorities were now asking all people who had returned from anywhere overseas in the past two weeks who became ill with any symptom to seek immediate medical advice.

More than 100 people are being tested for coronavirus every day in Queensland.

A woman who recently returned from Iran and who has tested positive for coronavirus is still being treated in the Gold Coast University Hospital.

Dr Young said clients and fellow staff at the woman’s hairdressing salon on the Gold Coast had all been assessed and no one was at risk of getting the virus.

Dr Young said the beautician who had returned from Iran had done exactly the right thing, by reporting to health authorities as soon as she experienced symptoms on Thursday afternoon.

She said she was “thoroughly well” on the plane home to Australia from Iran so nobody on that flight was at risk.

Dr Young said the woman was “very intelligent, very sensible” and knew to report to authorities as soon as she was feeling unwell. She remains well in the Gold Coast University Hospital, Dr Young said.