Victoria changes its coronavirus advice to schools

Instructions to schools about tightened student exclusion measures come after students had finished classes on the first day of school.

A student wears a mask as a precautionary measure at Matribhumi school in Bhaktapur, Nepal, yesterday. There has been one confirmed case of a new coronavirus infection in the Himalayan country. Picture: AP

As Australia’s number of novel coronavirus cases increased from five to seven yesterday, Victoria’s Department of Education changed its advice to schools about biosecurity late yesterday.

Instructions to schools about tightened student exclusion measures came after classes let out for the first day of school.

The most up-to-date information from the department is that students should be isolated at home and should not attend campus for 14 days following exposure to any confirmed novel coronavirus case; or after leaving Hubei Province.

The same advice applies to staff who have returned or are returning from Hubei province.

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The concern about students and staff who have travelled to Hubei province is a step up from the messages circulated to families by Victoria’s public schools on Tuesday.

Through statements quoting the Department of Education, parents were told children did not need to be excluded unless they were showing flu-like symptoms or had been in contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus.

Some public schools informed parents about the new precautionary measures late last night, with digital alerts.

The Chief Health Officer’s current advice is that staff and students do not need to be isolated at home if they have recently travelled in other parts of China or other countries and are not showing any symptoms of the virus.