Wuhan children rescue on cards

AUTHORITIES are investigating the possibility of repatriating more than 100 young Australians from coronavirushit Wuhan in central China as another case was confirmed in NSW.

The confirmation of a fifth case of the potentially fatal virus in Australia was announced yesterday, when NSW Health said a 21-year-old woman had tested positive.

She arrived into Sydney Airport on Thursday on the last flight to Australia from Wuhan before Beijing banned all outbound travel.

“Pleasingly that patient was met at the airport and acted on the advice provided to her,” chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant told reporters in Sydney. “So for that patient, there are actually no close contacts (with others), there are just a couple of low-level contacts that we are tracing.”

Four adults in Western Australia are also being tested to see if they have contracted coronavirus.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt yesterday said more than 100 young Australians are in Wuhan, which has been locked down by Chinese authorities. The government is working to extract those children from the city.

But Mr Hunt said the government would not yet suspend flights from China nor screen every passenger.

“Every flight is being met by officials, and officials, I’m advised, will be boarding the flights and ensuring each individual who has travelled on those flights is directly receiving information,” Mr Hunt told the ABC. “We’re working to make sure there’s support for those (100) Australians and we are also working, as are other countries, to secure their ability to return.” Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne said closing Australia’s borders due to coronavirus “would be a very significant step”.

It needs to be established

WE DON’T HAVE A DEFINITIVE NUMBER ON THE NUMBER OF AUSTRALIANS IN WUHAN OR IN HUBEI PROVINCE

MARISE PAYNE

how Australians would be evacuated and whether they need to be quarantined upon their return, Ms Payne said.

“We don’t have a definitive number on the number of Australians in Wuhan or in Hubei province because it will include a significant number of dual nationals, some of whom may not have travelled on Australian passports, they’ve travelled on Chinese passports for example,” she told 3AW.

Three men aged 35, 43, and 53 are also being treated in a Sydney hospital for coronavirus and are listed as stable.

More than 3000 cases of coronavirus have been confirmed worldwide while 80 people have died.