Coronavirus: 112 confirmed cases in Australia, govt. unveils $2.4 billion health package

  • March 11, 2020

People wearing face masks walk on Bourke Street after cases of the coronavirus were confirmed in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, January 29, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

“As at 11:00 hrs on 11 March 2020, we have 112 confirmed cases of coronavirus (COVID-19), including 3 deaths, in Australia”, Department of Health has said in  a report. 

The report also shares a state-wise breakdown:

  • 60 in New South Wales
  • 15 in Queensland
  • 6 in South Australia
  • 2 in Tasmania
  • 15 in Victoria*
  • 4 in Western Australia
  • 10 associated with the Diamond Princess cruise ship

* Note: Victoria case count includes a case detected in NSW. Under the National Notifiable Diseases Surveillance System reporting requirements the case is considered a Victorian case.

Further details:

  • 15 of the initially reported cases in Australia all had a direct or indirect travel history to Wuhan, China
  • 10 cases, including 1 death, are associated with the Diamond Princess cruise ship repatriation flight from Japan
  • 18 cases are reported to have had a direct or indirect travel link to Iran
  • 39 cases are reported to have had a direct or indirect travel link to countries including the United States of America, United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Italy, Iceland, Singapore, Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Philippines, Taiwan, Cuba, Trinidad and Tobago, Nepal, Egypt, Austria, France, Spain, Hong Kong.
  • 27 cases, including 2 deaths, do not have a reported history of overseas travel
    • 8 of these cases are associated with an aged care facility in NSW. 2 residents of this facility have sadly died.
    • 2 cases are either directly or indirectly associated with attendance at a workshop
    • 17 cases are close contacts of known cases, with further details pending
  • The likely place of exposure for a further 3 newly reported cases is under investigation

Of the 112 Australian cases reported, 24 of these cases are reported to have recovered.

The Australian Government has unveiled a comprehensive $2.4 billion health package to protect all Australians, including vulnerable groups such as the elderly, those with chronic conditions and Indigenous communities, from the coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Australian Government has secured additional surgical, P2 and N95 masks for the National Medical Stockpile, for medical and aged care professionals to care for patients with suspected or confirmed cases of COVID-19.

The Prime Minister has announced the activation of the National Coordination Mechanism. The mechanism will coordinate activities across the Commonwealth, state and territory governments as well as industry to ensure a consistent national approach is taken to provide essential services across a range of critical sectors and supply chains.

The Australian Government has committed to a 50-50 shared health funding deal with the states and territories to ensure a rapid health response to the evolving COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak.

The Prime Minister has announced the activation of the Australian Health Sector Emergency Response Plan for Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Further Details @ https://www.health.gov.au/news/health-alerts/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-health-alert