Box Hill Institute continues to take advice on the coronavirus (COVID-19) from the Department of Health, DFAT Smart Traveller, and the World Health Organisation.
As of 3 March 2020, Australia has had 33 confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19):
· 15 of the initially reported cases in Australia all had a direct or indirect travel history to Wuhan, China
· 10 cases are associated with the Diamond Princess repatriation flight from Japan. All of these people have returned to their home states for medical care
· 7 cases are reported to have had a direct or indirect travel history to Iran
· 1 case reported in a health care worker did not have a history of travel to any high risk countries in recent weeks
Of the total cases reported, 21 of these cases are reported to have recovered. 1 person has sadly died. The remaining cases are in a stable condition.
The majority of cases of COVID-19 have been reported from mainland China – 80,174. There have been 9,733 cases reported from 74 other countries and regions outside mainland China. New cases, especially from South Korea, Italy and Iran, are rapidly increasing.
Novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory illness first reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Symptoms can range from a mild illness like a cough to pneumonia. People may experience fever, flu-like symptoms, and shortness of breath.
In Australia, the people most at risk of getting the virus are those who have:
· recently been in mainland China or Iran
· been in close contact with someone who is a confirmed case of coronavirus
If you have returned from a country or region that is at higher risk for COVID-19, monitor your health for the next 14 days. You can attend work unless you work in a setting with vulnerable people.
You need to isolate yourself if you are at risk of getting the virus, which is if you have:
· left or transited through mainland China in the last 14 days, you must isolate yourself for 14 days from the date of leaving mainland China
· left or transited through Iran on or after 1 March you must isolate yourself for 14 days from the date of leaving Iran
· been in close contact with a proven case of coronavirus, you must isolate yourself for 14 days from the date of last contact with the confirmed case
You do not need to isolate yourself if you have only travelled in Hong Kong, Macau or Taiwan.
Everyone can protect against infections by practising good hand hygiene and respiratory hygiene. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing and sneezing, or cough into your elbow, dispose of the tissue into a bin and then wash your hands afterwards. Wash your hands regularly, after using the toilet and before eating.
International students
The Department of Health is delivering more Australian education services online and offshore for international students. To find out more and for support, go to coronavirus updates for international students on the Study in Australia website.
The Australian Government will continue to monitor the emerging information and evidence closely. It will work with jurisdictions, through key committees and other relevant experts, to adapt the COVID-19 Plan as new information becomes available.
Follow the Australian Government’s Department of Health on Facebook and Twitter.