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A man is being tested at the Royal Hobart Hospital for coronavirus infection, which has so far killed 41 people in China.
He travelled to China earlier this month and spent time in Hubei province and Wuhan, the city where the infectious disease’s outbreak began.
The director of public health’s Dr Mark Veitch said the man in this thirties had been admitted to the RHH with relatively mild respiratory symptoms.
“While coronavirus infection is not strongly suspected, tests are being done to rule out this infection,” he said.
“The man rang ahead to a local GP, seeking advice about his symptoms.
“The GP contacted Public Health Services and a decision to test for coronavirus was made in consultation with specialist infectious disease advice.”
Coronavirus causes respiratory infections in humans, ranging from the common cold through to more serious diseases such as severe acute respiratory syndrome.
Dr Veitch said anyone the man had had contact with since his return to Hobart would be identified in case a follow up was necessary.
“Test results are expected within the next day or so,” he said.
“The man will remain admitted and managed in a negative-pressure room with appropriate infection prevention and control precautions in accordance with national guidelines until these are obtained.”
Coronvarius has been around since 2012 but the World Health Organisation identified a new strain of the virus in China in January with more than 1000 confirmed cases in the country so far.
