Information about novel coronavirus

Yooralla wishes to provide you with important information and health advice following the World Health Organisation declaring on 30 January 2020, that the outbreak of coronavirus (2019-nCoV) constitutes a Public Health Emergency of International Concern.

What is it?

The coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak has been identified associated with Hubei Province, China.  As of 2 February 2020, health authorities in China have reported more than 12,000 cases and 259 deaths.

This virus can cause an infection in people, including a severe respiratory illness. Symptoms include fever with a cough, sore throat or shortness of breath. Cases of this coronavirus have now been reported in some other Chinese provinces and several other countries including Australia.

The World Health Organisation has confirmed that transmission from people without symptoms is now not considered the major way the virus is spread from one person to another. The virus is spread by people with symptoms through coughing and sneezing.

What are the facts?

Key information from the Victorian Department of Human Services includes:

• As of 1 February 2020, the case definition for a person suspected to have contracted novel coronavirus has been expanded. Any person who has an acute respiratory infection and has been in mainland China or has had close contact with a confirmed case of novel coronavirus in the 14 days prior to onset of illness should be tested for the infection.
• As a precaution, people who have been in mainland China (excluding Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan) are advised to self-isolate if they were in mainland China on or after 1 February 2020, when the risk of human to human transmission across many provinces of mainland China was identified to have significantly increased.
• If a person who has been in mainland China on or after 1 February 2020 begins to feel unwell and develop shortness of breath, a cough or respiratory illness during the 14 days since they were last in mainland China, they should seek medical attention. Call ahead to your GP or emergency department and mention your travel to mainland China.
• The Australian Government has announced travel restrictions and has advised that visitors from mainland China who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents or their dependents will not be allowed entry into Australia. The Australian Government has also recommended that Australians should not travel to mainland China at the current time.
• 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.
• Additionally, anyone who attended the House of Delight restaurant in Glen Waverley between 1730 and 1900 on 26 January 2020, or who was on Tiger Airways flight TT566 from Melbourne to Gold Coast on 27 January 2020 should contact the department on 1300 651 160.

What should I know?

As the virus is spread by people with symptoms through coughing and sneezing, the best way to protect others is to practice good personal hygiene.

Experience tells us that people with compromised immune systems, the very old and young and those with diagnosed heart and lung conditions are most at risk of developing complications if they contract an infection like this.

How is Yooralla responding?

In line with this updated advice and the risk that this infection could presents to some of our customers, Yooralla has advised that staff who have travelled to mainland China on or after 1 February 2020 should self-isolate and not attend work until 14 days without symptoms after leaving mainland China.

We request that family members, carers, friends and guardians of customers or customers who have been in mainland China during this period, also do not visit or attend any Yooralla services until 14 days without symptoms after leaving mainland China.

More information

• For the latest updates go to: https://www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/novelcoronavirus
• If you think you may have novel coronavirus, please call the dedicated hotline 1800 675 389. This hotline is serviced by Nurse-on-Call. Please keep Triple Zero (000) for emergencies.