Breaking: There are two probable cases of coronavirus in NSW and four other people possibly have the disease, health officials have announced | janek_dr Laura_R_chung
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said she expected test results for one of the two probable cases later this afternoon.The announcement comes after Australia's first coronavirus patient was confirmed in Melbourne on Saturday morning.
All six NSW patients have recently returned from visits to Wuhan in China, which is the epicentre of the cornavirus outbreak. While in China, one of the patients had contact with a person who was sick with the disease, Dr Chant said. Dr Chant estimated the two probable patients had crossed paths with "many tens of people" since their arrival in Australia, but NSW Health is awaiting exact figures. "At this stage we are contacting everybody in accordance with the national guidelines and treating them as if they are confirmed," Dr Chant said. While authorities do not fully understand how the coronavirus spreads, it is thought to be less contagious than measles and only transmissible once a patient has started showing symptoms."So if we can get that message, that if you get the symptoms after returning from overseas, or you have been in contact with a known case of coronavirus, seek care immediately. Seek care urgently."Credit:The symptoms of the new virus are similar to a cold or flu and can include breathing difficulties. In China, the official death toll from the coronavirus has jumped from 26 people to 41 people overnight. More than 1,300 people have been infected globally, as health authorities around the world scramble to prevent a global pandemic.The total number of confirmed cases in China now stands at 1,287, the National Health Commission said in a statement on Saturday. China Eastern Airlines flights from Sydney to and from the Chinese city Xi'an via Wuhan have been cancelled through to March 29. The airline is contacting affected customers. "The health and safety of our customers and employees is our number one priority," a statement from the airline said on Friday.
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