The government has advised families and friends not to visit residential aged care facilities if they have visited China or come into contact with someone who is infected with coronavirus in the last 14 days.
Novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) was detected in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China in late December 2019. Since then, authorities around the world have been struggling to keep pace with the highly contagious illness and restrict its spread.
Guidelines released on the weekend by the Department of Health urge anyone who has been to China or come into contact with the virus to avoid aged care facilities, where elderly residents are particularly susceptible to the disease.
The guidance says any aged care residents who have travelled to mainland China within the past 14 days will be isolated for 14 days after leaving China.
Residents of residential care who have been in close contact with a case of novel coronavirus within the past 14 days will also be isolated for 14 days after their last contact with the case.
The contagious period for the disease is said to be 14 days.
“If you need to be isolated, you will be placed in a single room and will not be able to engage with other residents or receive visitors,” the guidance says.
“You will be monitored closely for symptoms of the virus and, if you become unwell, you will undergo further assessment and testing.
“Health care and residential care workers will continue to provide support and care while you are isolated,” the guidance states.
“If you need to leave your room, such as to seek medical care, you will be asked to wear a mask.”
Coronaviruses was first seen in mainland China. It is called ‘novel’ because it has not been detected before this outbreak.
Most people currently infected live in or have travelled recently to mainland China.
It is likely that the virus originally came from an animal, and there is now evidence that it can spread from person to person.
Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, fatigue and shortness of breath.
Some people who are infected with the coronavirus may not experience any symptoms, some will get mild symptoms and will recover easily, while others may become “very ill, very quickly”.
Those at most risk of the illness are:
The best ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus are to:
You can access all the government’s guidelines regarding coronavirus here.
Visit the Australian Government Department of Health homepage.
Call the National Coronavirus Health Information Line on 1800 020 080.
Discuss any questions you have with the Public Health Agency monitoring you.
Contact your state or territory public health agency:
Image: Branislav, iStock. Model is posed, stock image.
