CHO Health Alert - 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) 16 February 2020
Status: Active
Date issued: 16 February 2020 (Update to Alert issued 11 February 2020)
Issued by: Dr Brett Sutton, Chief Health Officer, Victoria
Issued to: Clinicians and the Victorian public
Key messages
- Novel coronavirus (nCoV-2019) has been officially named by the World Health Organization and is now known as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
- The Guideline for Health Services and General Practitioners has been updated (Version 7) since the last Chief Health Officer Alert of 11 February.
- A person under investigation category has been added to the case definition which captures new countries for consideration of testing. Clarification of casual healthcare worker contact information has also been added.
- It remains critical that clinicians identify cases, and notify the department on 1300 651 160, 24 hours. Be alert for cases, take a travel history and advise persons under investigation and suspected cases to isolate until you provide the result to your patient.
- People who have been in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong SAR, Macau and Taiwan) in the past 14 days are advised to self-isolate until 14 days after leaving China.
- There is no requirement for people from the other countries recommended for testing to self-isolate if they are well.
- Anyone who has been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19 should also stay at home and avoid public settings until 14 days after their last contact.
- The department has confirmed four cases of novel coronavirus in Victoria.
- Stay informed of updates at https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/novelcoronavirus
Read the full alert: 2019 Coronavirus disease (COVID-19)
Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.