Novel Coronavirus – be alert, but not alarmed
Novel Coronavirus – be alert, but not alarmed
22 January 2020
Current as at 1.00pm (Western Standard Time)
There is currently a cluster of Novel Coronavirus in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China. Novel Coronavirus (CoV) is a new strain of coronavirus that has not been previously identified in humans. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses known to cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with governments and communicable disease control experts to fully understand the extent of the virus.
The risk of transmission in Australia remains low; however, the situation is evolving. Western Australians should remain alert, but they should not be alarmed.
Australia has one of the best health systems in the world and is prepared to deal with the situation.
Visit the WHO website for more information about coronavirus (external site) and updates (external site).
You can also visit the Australian Department of Health website for details about the Novel Coronavirus (external site).
Travellers intending to visit China should refer to the Smart Traveller website (external site) for the latest travel advice.