Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) - Update

Status: Active

Date issued: 11 February 2020 (Update to Alert issued 4 February 2020)

Issued by: Dr Brett Sutton, Chief Health Officer, Victoria

Issued to: Clinicians and the Victorian public  

Key messages

• The Guideline for Health Services and General Practitioners has been updated (Version 6) since the last Chief Health Officer Alert of 4 February.  
• Key changes include introduction of a new case definition, provision for testing at clinician discretion, further advice on infection control precautions and specimen collection.  
• 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 suspected cases to isolate until you provide the result to your patient.  
• There is a new quick reference guide and checklist for general practitioners and online fact sheets for patients after an assessment by the clinician and the department.  
• People who have been in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong SAR, Macau and Taiwan) are advised to self-isolate if they were in mainland China on or after 1 February 2020.  
• The requirement to self-isolate continues to apply to people who have been in Hubei Province, China, for 14 days after they left Hubei Province.  
• Anyone who has been in close contact with a confirmed case of 2019-nCoV 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: Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) - Update

  Authorised by the Victorian Government, 1 Treasury Place, Melbourne.