The Department of Health has activated Australia’s emergency response plan for global pandemics in the wake of the worldwide coronavirus outbreak.
Minister for Health, Greg Hunt said the Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) document was designed to guide the health sector’s response to the coronavirus.
Mr Hunt said Australia was well-prepared for an escalation in the number of people affected by the virus in Australia.
“We have developed our plans around the country,” Mr Hunt said.
‘The disease remains contained within Australia, but we are alert, we are focussed and at all times, we are seeking daily updates.”
He said the Plan took an emergency response approach as its framework, allowing it to be readily integrated into broader emergency arrangements.
He said it would be used to inform operational planning by State and Territory governments and the broader Australian Government.
Mr Hunt said it detailed arrangements for escalation of Australia’s response to the virus outbreak and outlines three degrees of severity for the outbreak – low, moderate and high.
It says Australia is prepared and has excellent health systems to deal with the virus, but warned: “The novel coronavirus outbreak represents a significant risk to Australia. It has the potential to cause high levels of morbidity and mortality and to disrupt our community socially and economically.”
Mr Hunt said he had spoken with all State and Territory health Ministers regarding the national activation of the Plan.
“We conducted a preparedness assessment and I have to say that all of the States and Territories are fully implementing and preparing for all of the elements of the plan,” he said.
