Brisbane man being tested for coronavirus
A computer artwork of a coronavirus, named after the corona, or crown, of surface proteins (outer dots) that are used to penetrate a host cell. Photo: ABC
A man is in isolation in his Brisbane home as Queensland Health authorities run tests on whether he is carrying a new strain for coronavirus.
The man was showing symptoms of the SARS-like illness and had recently returned from Wuhan in China, where the outbreak began.
Authorities said there was no cause for alarm.
Queensland’s Chief Medical Officer Dr Jeanette Young said “we’ve got one gentleman that we’re following at the moment who has travelled to Wuhan and has developed a respiratory illness”.
“He is recovering at home.
“We’ve done some tests on him and are awaiting test results.”
She said test results may not be known for several days as authorities need further medical information from China.
“We don’t have the primer yet.
“The World Health Organisation released [the primer], after China gave them specifics, so that’s now available.
“So we need to obtain the primers that have been developed against this specific coronavirus.”
It comes as Australia ramps up airport screening of passengers arriving from China.
China’s National Health Commission confirmed that the strain was passed from person to person and sparked fresh fears of a global epidemic.
The outbreak has spread to other cities including the capital Beijing and Shanghai.
The number of cases has tripled to 222 and three people are known to have died.
