The Chief Medical Officer has reassured Australians that the Department of Health was well-equipped to manage the risk of novel coronavirus after an outbreak of the disease in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
Professor Brendan Murphy said that there had been no confirmed cases in Australia and the risk of transmission in Australia remained low.
“We have well established mechanisms to detect and respond to ill travellers, and processes in place to implement further measures if the risk increases,” Professor Murphy said.
“This is a rapidly evolving matter with developments in recent days and we remain alert but not alarmed.”
He said that after consulting other Government Agencies and the States and Territories, the Government was taking evidence-based, proportionate additional border measures.
“Information will be displayed at all major international ports around Australia, with instructions on what to do if travellers have symptoms or if symptoms develop,” Prof Murphy said.
“We are currently working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to update the travel advisory to Wuhan.”
He said the country’s public health systems had identified a number of individuals who had presented with relevant symptoms and had travelled to Wuhan.
“So far, all but one have been cleared of the novel coronavirus,” Prof Murphy said.
“Key details of the evolving situation and suspected cases in Australia are shared across jurisdictions through key expert bodies such as the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee and its standing committee, the Communicable Diseases Network Australia,” he said.
He noted that there was currently no vaccine available for the virus.
“Supportive care is the best available treatment if a case is confirmed,” Prof Murphy said.
