'While the WHO is yet to declare the nature of the coronavirus and its move towards a pandemic phase, we believe the risk of a global pandemic is very much upon us.'
"We are not immune. The likelihood is somewhere, sometime, there is a further round of cases that may make it to Australia and this becomes a truly global pandemic."
After a three hour meeting on Thursday, the national security committee extended the travel ban on all non-Australian residents from China for another week, locking out more than 200,000 students and tourists since it was first introduced on February 5. "We have always acted with an abundance of caution on this issue, and that has put Australia in the strong position we are in to this time in being able to contain the impact of this virus."
"There is no evidence before us that children are at any greater risk but we do believe to take care of our kids that we needed an even greater abundance of caution should the coronavirus move to a extreme level," said Mr Morrison.Mr Morrison said advice from Treasury had shifted and the coronavirus had now become a health crisis with significant economic implications.
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