Travellers arriving from coronavirus-afflicted Iran cannot be tracked and self-isolation is impossible to enforce, officials admit as disease spreads

  • Anyone arriving in Australia from Iran has been ordered to self-isolate 
  • But Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy has admitted this is hard 
  • He said the measure relied on trusting people to stay out of public spaces
  • Cases of coronavirus in Iran have soared past 2,300 as of Wednesday afternoon 
  • Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?

By CHARLIE MOORE FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA

Published: | Updated:

Forcing people who may be infected with coronavirus to self-isolate is almost impossible, officials admitted today.

This morning Health Minister Greg Hunt ordered anyone who has arrived in Australia from Iran since February 19 to stay in their own homes for 14 days.

But Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy has now admitted this measure is 'very hard to enforce' – sparking fears it will do little to stop the disease spreading in Australia.

He said the measure relied on trusting people to stay out of public spaces.

Minister for Health Greg Hunt and Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy give an update on the coronavirus at a press conference

Minister for Health Greg Hunt and Chief Medical Officer Professor Brendan Murphy give an update on the coronavirus at a press conference

'Most people are doing the right thing. They are following the public health advice,' he said.

Professor Murphy also admitted it would very difficult to find people in Australia who have recently been in Iran, which is suffering a major outbreak of the virus.

'It would be hard to track them all down because they could have come from a variety of different flights,' he said.

It comes after a 95-year-old woman has died from potential coronavirus after coming into contact with an infected nursing home carer.

Authorities are investigating whether the elderly woman contracted the deadly virus from the female care worker, who is in her 50s. 

The woman was living and being cared for at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge care facility at Macquarie Park in Sydney.

There are now fears dozens of vulnerable people may have been exposed to the killer virus.

'Whether or not it was related to corona, we don't know at this point,' NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard told 9News.  

Health officials (pictured) arrived at the care home on Wednesday to investigate whether the woman's death was linked to coronavirus

Health officials (pictured) arrived at the care home on Wednesday to investigate whether the woman's death was linked to coronavirus

It would be the second death from coronavirus so far in Australia, after James Kwan, 78, from Perth contracted the virus on the Diamond Princess cruise ship. 

He died on Sunday morning, as cases of the virus soar across Australia to 42. 

Six additional people in the past 24 hours have tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of those infected in NSW alone to 15.

On Wednesday, Mr Hazzard confirmed an aged care worker at the centre, part of the BaptistCare group, had been diagnosed with coronavirus.

The elderly woman had been living in the Dorothy Henderson Lodge care facility at Macquarie Park in Sydney (pictured), part of the BaptistCare group

The elderly woman had been living in the Dorothy Henderson Lodge care facility at Macquarie Park in Sydney (pictured), part of the BaptistCare group

The woman is aged in her 50s and had not recently travelled outside Australia, but began experiencing flu-like symptoms from roughly February 24.

The aged care facility has several separate residences, and is across from Macquarie University and Macquarie Shopping Centre.

People over the age of 80 who contract the coronavirus have a 15 per cent chance of dying from the disease.

'She is in a good condition in hospital, Mr Hazzard told reporters of the care worker.

'Of course we're aware that it's likely that she could have been capable of passing on the coronavirus from at least the day before, 24 hours, so that's 23rd February.

'BaptistCare has confirmed to us that they have done all that any very responsible group who look after our elderly citizens would do, and they have worked with NSW Health and our public health unit.'

78-year-old James Kwan (pictured) was the first Australian to die of coronavirus, after contracting the illness on the Diamond Princess cruise ship

 78-year-old James Kwan (pictured) was the first Australian to die of coronavirus, after contracting the illness on the Diamond Princess cruise ship

Mr Hazzard said 13 Dorothy Henderson Lodge residents had been checked by NSW Health, 11 of whom have now been placed in isolation.

Two of those 11 have presented with respiratory symptoms and NSW Health are seeking to confirm if they are suffering from COVID-19 or another illness.

NSW Health is also alerting passengers who were on five separate flights from Asia in the past week after two men in their 30s, a man in his 50s and two women in their 60s tested positive following their arrival in NSW.

They travelled from Iran, Japan, South Korea and Singapore.

A new case in Victoria on Wednesday brought the number of infected in Australia to 42

A new case in Victoria on Wednesday brought the number of infected in Australia to 42

Premier Gladys Berejiklian on Wednesday warned the number of COVID-19 cases was likely to rise in the next few days.

She said anyone who is feeling unwell should contact their GP or the local hospital and make arrangements to get tested.

Around 3,000 people in NSW have been tested and cleared to date.

Meanwhile, a 53-year-old male doctor is in a stable condition at Westmead Hospital and 'going quite well', Mr Hazzard told the Nine Network on Tuesday.

NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the doctor had worked at Ryde Hospital and had been in contact with a 'diverse range of patients'.

Coronavirus (pictured) originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, and has now infected more than 92,000 people globally

Coronavirus (pictured) originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan, and has now infected more than 92,000 people globally

Thirteen doctors, 23 nurses and four other health workers have been identified as close contacts of the doctor and are in home isolation.

A further eight patients of the doctor are showing no symptoms, while 29 other patients identified as casual contacts are being chased up. 

It comes as authorities admitted they are no longer able to contain the virus, with isolations failing to curb its spread.

One man with coronavirus in Tasmania went grocery shopping when he was supposed to be in self-isolation at home.

The 40-year-old, who had travelled to Iran, tested positive to the virus on Monday and has been in isolation in hospital since.

State health authorities admitted the man went to Woolworths at Wellington Street in Launceston on Sunday at 10pm for about 15 minutes on his way home after being tested in hospital.

"The man did visit the supermarket after being provided with information about self-quarantine," state Public Health Director Mark Veitch told reporters on Wednesday.

'I'm confident the public health processes were followed appropriately and it's disappointing the man didn't follow them precisely.'

Travellers are pictured wearing protective face masks at Brisbane International Airport on January 29 (pictured)

Travellers are pictured wearing protective face masks at Brisbane International Airport on January 29 (pictured)

Dr Veitch said the risk to other people in the supermarket at the time is very low.

'However, it is appropriate to fully inform staff and customers who were there,' he added.

Dr Veitch has urged anyone who was at the supermarket when the man was there to visit their GP or a hospital if they feel unwell.

The man is Tasmania's only case of coronavirus. He had flown from Iran to Malaysia and then Melbourne before landing in Launceston on Saturday.

Health authorities have contacted 13 of 15 people sitting near the man on the Virgin flight to Launceston.

The man, whose name has not been publicly released, is 'doing well' in hospital, Dr Veitch said.

CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA CLIMB TO 116

NEW SOUTH WALES: 61

January 25 

Three men aged 43, 53, and 35 who had recently travelled to China contracted the disease.

Two flew in from Wuhan while the other arrived in Sydney from Shenzhen, south China. 

They were treated in isolation at Westmead Hospital. 

January 27  

A 21-year-old woman is identified as the fourth person to test positive for the illness in NSW.

The woman, a student at UNSW, flew into Sydney International Airport on flight MU749 on January 23 and presented to the emergency department 24 hours later after developing flu-like symptoms.

March 1 

A man in his 40s is confirmed as the fifth coronavirus case in the state and a woman in her 50s as the sixth. Both returned to Sydney from Iran. 

March 2 

The 41-year-old sister of a man who had returned from Iran with the disease was one of three confirmed cases. The second locally-acquired case was a 53-year-old male health worker who hadn't travelled for many months.

The other new case is a 31-year-old man who flew into Sydney on Saturday from Iran and developed symptoms 24 hours later.

March 3

Six more cases are confirmed in NSW. They included a 39-year-old man who had flown in from Iran and a 53-year-old man who arrived from Singapore last Friday.

It also included two women aged in their 60s who arrived in Sydney from South Korea and Japan respectively.

A man in his 30s who returned from Malaysia to Sydney on Malindo Air flight OD171 on March 1 was also one of the six.

A 50-year-old carer was the final of the day's six people diagnosed with coronavirus. The woman is a carer at a nursing home in Macquarie Park in Sydney's north. She had not been overseas and contracted the virus in Australia. 

March 4

A 95-year-old woman died at a Sydney hospital on Wednesday night after developing a respiratory illness from the coronavirus, bringing the death toll to two.

A Macquarie University lecturer tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday after returning from Iran. 

A further six cases confirmed on Wednesday evening. They included an 82-year-old aged care resident from the Dorothy Henderson Lodge, where the 95-year-old woman was staying.

The new cases include a female doctor who works at Liverpool hospital, a female patient from the Northern Beaches, a male from Cronulla, a woman who returned from the Phillippines and a woman in her 70s. 

March 5

A health care worker, who attended the same conference as the doctor from Ryde Hospital, also tests positive.

A boy from Epping Boys High School is diagnosed with COVID-19 forcing the school to temporarily close.

A Goulburn resident who had recently returned from Singapore and travelled on to Darwin was also diagnosed with the virus.

A fourth resident, aged 94, from the Dorothy Henderson Lodge aged care facility in Macquarie Park was also diagnosed.

March 6

Two more workers at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge aged care centre are diagnosed with coronavirus. 

 A 24-year-old female and 21-year-old male have now been confirmed as cases at the facility.

An 18-year-old female has also been diagnosed.

March 7 

Six new cases are diagnosed. This includes a man in his 50s and a woman in her 40s, who are a close contact of a previously confirmed case.

Also included was a man in his 40s and a woman in her 40s, both family members of a previously confirmed case. 

A man in his 20s, also a close contact of a previously confirmed case, was also included.

A man in his 70s, who returned from Italy and who exhibited symptoms a day after returning. NSW Health is contacting flight passengers on flight number QR908 which left Doha on 1 March.

A second male in his 40s, who is a known close contact of a previously confirmed case, is being tested. He travelled on two domestic flights on 28 February while symptomatic but before he had been identified as a close contact.  

Another man in his 60s who recently returned from Italy and a second man in his 40s who is a known close contact of a previously confirmed case, were confirmed late Saturday. 

NSW Health says the man in his 40s travelled on two domestic flights on 28 February while symptomatic. 

March 8    

A female care worker in her 30s at Ryde Hospital is among new cases in New South Wales. She had been in contact with a case in Macquarie Park aged care facility which had already been confirmed. 

Another woman, in her 50s, was the other person confirmed to have caught the disease. She had also been in contact with a previous case.

An 82-year-old man, who contracted the coronavirus from an infected aged care worker at BaptistCare's Dorothy Henderson Lodge in his Sydney, died on Sunday. 

A man in his 70s was diagnosed after presenting to Sydney's St Vincent Hospital on Friday. He hadn't recently travelled overseas and the source of his infection is not known. 

A man in his 40s who recently travelled overseas was confirmed on Sunday night as NSW's 40th case. No other details about the case are available. 

March 9

St Patricks Marist College in Sydney's north west is forced to close after two students in grade 10, one boy and one girl, are diagnosed with coronavirus.

Both fathers of the year 10 students, aged in their 50s have also tested positive, including a third member of the ADF.

The father of the male St Patricks Marist College student is diagnosed with coronavirus. He is also the third Australian Defence Force member to test positive. 

A grade 7 student at Willoughby Girls High School was another confirmed case on March 9. The girl's mother, who is Iranian, was also diagnosed. 

Woman aged  in her 30s was diagnosed on Monday having recently returned from the Philippines. NSW Health is establishing her travel movements and identifying any contacts who may require self-isolation. 

March 10 

Cases confirmed on Tuesday March 10 include a woman in her 20s who had contact with a previously confirmed case at Ryde Hospital and a woman in her 40s who recently returned from South Korea.

NSW Health is separately working to establish how three others were infected: two women in their 30s and 40s and a man in his 70s.

Two other cases are related to the outbreak at the Dorothy Henderson Lodge nursing home in Macquarie Park.

Another case was confirmed. 

A man in his 70s, a woman in her 30s and a woman in her 40s test positive, as well as three other people. 

VICTORIA: 21

January 25  

A Chinese national aged in his 50s becomes the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in Australia.

The man flew to Melbourne on China Southern flight CZ321 from Wuhan via Guangzhou on January 19.

He was quarantined at Monash Hospital in Clayton in Melbourne's east.

January 29   

A Victorian man in his 60s is diagnosed with the coronavirus.

He became unwell on January 23 - two days after returning from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak.

The man was confirmed as positive on January 29 and was subsequently seen by doctors at the Monash Medical Centre.

January 30 

 A woman in her 40s is found to have coronavirus.

She was visiting from China and mostly spent time with her family.

She is being treated at Royal Melbourne Hospital. 

February 1 

A woman in her 20s in Melbourne is found to have the virus. 

February 22

Two passengers taken off the Diamond Princess cruise ship test positive. 

February 25

Another passenger taken off the cruise ship tests positive. 

March 1

Victorian man confirmed to have coronavirus after the 78-year-old was evacuated to Melbourne from a Darwin quarantine centre.

It is confirmed a Victorian woman in her 30s has tested positive for coronavirus after flying from Malaysia to Melbourne via Indonesia.

March 4

Victorian man in his 30s confirmed to have coronavirus after returning from Iran. Health Minister Jenny Mikakos said the man was 'almost symptom-free' after self-isolating 

March 7

A doctor working at a clinic in Toorak, Melbourne has been confirmed to have coronavirus and is now in isolation at home after returning from a trip to the US. 

The doctor came into contact with around 70 patients who have been told to self isolate.

March 8

A woman who arrived in the state from Indonesia has tested positive 

March 9 

Authorities confirmed on Monday two new cases in returned travellers from the United States.

A third case was diagnosed on Monday in a passenger who recently returned from Iran.

One of the cases is a woman in her 50s who returned from Tehran via Kuala Lumpar on MH0149, arriving on March 6, and is in hospital in isolation being treated for pneumonia.

March 10

A man in his 70s who returned to Melbourne from Singapore on March 6 at 12.15am on flight EK404 was confirmed to be carrying the disease.

A Victorian man in his 20s who recently returned from Hong Kong was diagnosed. 

A teacher from Carey Baptist Grammer was diagnosed. The school will closed until next week while students are tested 

March 11

A male teacher at Yeshivah-Beth Rivkah college was diagnosed with coronavirus after arriving in Australia on a flight from Los Angeles on March 6. 

QUEENSLAND: 19

January 29

Queensland confirms its first case after a 44-year-old Chinese national was diagnosed with the virus. He is being treated at Gold Coast University Hospital.

January 30

A 42-year-old Chinese woman who was travelling in the same Wuhan tour group as the 44-year-old man tests positive. She is in Gold Coast University Hospital in stable condition.

February 4

An eight-year-old boy was diagnosed with coronavirus. He is also from the tour group where the other Queensland cases came from.

February 5

A 37-year-old man, who was a member of a group of nine Chinese tourists in quarantine on the Gold Coast, also tested positive.

February 6  

A 37-year-old woman was diagnosed with coronavirus from the same travel group that flew to Queensland from Melbourne on January 27.

February 21 

Two Queensland women, aged 54 and 55, tested positive for COVID-19 and will be flown to Brisbane for further treatment.

A 57-year-old woman from Queensland also tested positive for the virus.

February 28

A 63-year-old woman was confirmed to have the virus after returning to the Gold Coast from Iran.

March 3

A 20-year-old man from China was confirmed as the tenth person to be infected by the coronavirus in Queensland. The man had travelled to Dubai for at least 14 days before entering Australia, via Brisbane on February 23. 

March 4

A 26-year-old man from Logan in Brisbane is diagnosed with coronavirus. He arrived back in Australia from Iran.

March 5 

An 81-year-old man who had returned to Brisbane from Thailand and a 29-year-old woman who had come via Singapore from London are diagnosed with coronavirus.

March 6

A 28-year-old man in Brisbane was diagnosed after returning from Iran.

March 8

A 38-year-old woman is confirmed to have tested positive for coronavirus after returning to Australia from London via Dubai.

March 10

A 42-year-old female is n the Sunshine Coast University Hospital in a stable condition. She is the partner of the 38-year-old woman, who travelled from London through Dubai. 

A 46-year-old female from Brisbane, who recently travelled to Austria and France, is confirmed to have contracted the illness. 

A 22-year-old male from Brisbane is in a stable condition in The Prince Charles Hospital. He recently travelled to Spain, Italy and France.

March 11 

A student at the University of Queensland was diagnosed with coronavirus. 

SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 7

February 1  

A Chinese couple in their 60s who arrived in Adelaide from Wuhan to visit relatives are confirmed to have coronavirus.

A 24-year-old woman from South Australia was transferred to Royal Adelaide Hospital.

March 4

Mother, 40, is diagnosed after flying to Australia from Iran via Kuala Lumpur. 

Another 24-year-old woman, not related to the previous woman, was in a stable condition in Adelaide hospital after falling ill following overseas travel.

March 5

The eight-month-old child of the 40-year-woman, diagnosed on March 4, is also diagnosed with coronavirus.

Renowned Australian music composer Brett Dean, 58, who travelled to SA on March 3 from Taiwan also tests positive. He's receiving treatment in an Adelaide hospital.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 6

February 21 

A 78-year-old man from Western Australia was transferred to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth. On February 28, he was taken into intensive care in a 'serious' condition and later died. His wife was also diagnosed with coronavirus.

March 1 

The elderly man died in the early hours of the morning from the virus at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital.

March 5

A woman in Perth is diagnosed with the virus after flying into the city from the UK, via Dubai 

March 8

A Perth woman, aged in her 70s, was confirmed as WA’s fourth coronavirus diagnosis. She had been in Cuba in recent weeks had flown from London to Perth on a direct flight on March 5. 

The woman was tested for COVID-19 on Friday but didn’t wait for the results before attending a the West Australian Symphony Orchestra’s Absolute Beethoven concert on Saturday night. 

March 9

A West Australian woman in her 60s contracted coronavirus from her husband after he returned from Iran, making her the state's first person-to-person transmission of COVID-19.  

TASMANIA: 2  

March 2

The man who travelled from Iran to Australia on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19.

March 7

A man in his 20s was diagnosed with coronavirus after returning to Tasmania from Nepal on February 26 and experiencing cold-like symptoms the next day.

He is in the Royal Hobart Hospital in a satisfactory condition.

NORTHERN TERRITORY: 1 

March 4

A tourist in Darwin has tested positive for coronavirus in what is the first confirmed case in the Northern Territory.

NT Health confirmed the 52-year-old man as the first case of COVID-19 in the community on Wednesday evening. 

The man recently arrived in Darwin via Sydney and has had limited contact with the local community, NT Health said in a statement. 

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