Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Health Alert 7 March 2020

08 March, 2020

Status: Active
Date issued: 7 March 2020 - (Update to Alert issued 3 March 2020)
Issued by: Adjunct Clinical Professor Brett Sutton, Chief Health Officer, Victoria
Issued to: Clinicians and the Victorian public
 
Key messages

  • The department has confirmed a case of COVID-19 in a health-care worker who has recently travelled from the United States of America.
  • This health-care worker practices at Toorak Clinic. The department is actively contacting patients and staff members who may have attended the Toorak Clinic and been in contact with the case in the period from Monday 2 March to Friday 6 March.   
  • The confirmed case also attended mecwacare Malvern Centre nursing home, in Malvern Rd, Malvern and saw two patients. The department is working with the nursing home to ensure these patients are appropriately isolated.
  • The department has confirmed cases in travellers who were on the following flights
    • Malindo Air flight OD177 from Bali arriving at 6:00am on 28 February 2020 and was seated in seat 5C. Singapore Airlines flight SQ237 from Singapore arriving at 10:50am on 29 February 2020.
    • United Airlines flight UA0060 from San Francisco arriving at 0930 on 29 February 2020.
  • Any passengers on any of these flights who become unwell should seek medical attention and call ahead to let their doctor know they may have been exposed to COVID-19.
  • Screening clinics have been established at four Melbourne hospitals - Austin Hospital, Box Hill Hospital, The Alfred Hospital and The Royal Melbourne Hospital. Patients who have symptoms compatible with COVID-19 may present to these screening clinics but are asked to call the hospital before doing so.
  • See the Victorian COVID-19 website for current case definition, guidance and testing recommendations
  • Medical practitioners should consider testing returned travellers from any country with a clinically compatible illness.
  • There have now been 11 confirmed cases in Victoria, including four passengers from the Diamond Princess.

Read the full alert.
 
 
Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.