Three tested for coronavirus
TESTS for three potential cases of coronavirus in the Northern Territory have come back negative.
Yesterday, Health Minister Natasha Fyles and NT Chief Health Officer Hugh
Heggie announced three passengers aboard a Donghai Airlines flight from Shenzhen on Wednesday presented with symptoms potentially linked to coronavirus.
All three tested negative to the potentially fatal virus.
It comes as governments refused to answer questions over where or how Australian evacuees from Wuhan, expected to be brought to Darwin on their way to Christmas Island, would be processed by immigration.
TESTS for three potential cases of coronavirus in the Northern Territory have come back negative.
Yesterday Health Minister Natasha Fyles and NT Chief Health Officer Dr Hugh Heggie announced three passengers aboard a Donghai Airlines flight from Shenzhen on Wednesday presented with symptoms potentially linked to coronavirus.
Two passengers were found to have other viruses not of concern, while the third passenger was later confirmed not to have coronavirus.
Dr Heggie urged people concerned for their health to act immediately.
“If people are unwell then they should contact the national coronavirus telephone line and also local authorities and public health authorities,” he said.
“If their symptoms are increasing they should contact the emergency department and we will the provide arrangements for that person to travel to hospital.”
Darwin Lord Mayor Kon Vatskalis confirmed he was aboard the Wednesday flight but was not in the direct vicinity of the passengers tested. He said he intended to isolate himself for two weeks just in case, and work from home.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne yesterday afternoon said she expected an evacuation of Australian citizens to go ahead today but the Australian Government was still in negotiations with the Chinese Government.
The Qantas 747-400 is expected to land at Darwin airport from Wuhan but Ms Fyles and the Federal Government refused to provide details on how or where the evacuees from China would be processed.
It is understood that the evacuees will have to be moved to smaller aeroplanes to fly to Christmas Island as the airport cannot take larger jets.
Yesterday, Prime Minister
Scott Morrison increased the threat level for China to level four – do not travel – and announced unprecedented new control measures that would see all non-Australians travelling from mainland China denied entry at the border.
Yesterday 24 Australian
Australian Medical Assistance Teams (AUSMAT) personnel, including nine Territorian professionals, were deployed to Christmas Island to establish a self-sufficient field facility to screen and treat people potentially exposed to coronavirus.