Australia Isolates Man Showing Abnormal Symptoms After Visiting Wuhan

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Park Sun-mi] A man who visited Wuhan, China, the outbreak area of the novel coronavirus, and is showing abnormal symptoms is under quarantine in Australia.

On the 21st, Australian ABC reported that a man who recently visited Wuhan, China, returned to Australia and showed symptoms similar to 'Wuhan pneumonia,' and is being quarantined at home and receiving treatment. Additional tests are currently underway to confirm whether this man is infected with the novel coronavirus.

The broadcast stated that this man is the first suspected case of 'Wuhan pneumonia' recorded in Australia.

The Australian government has decided to strengthen quarantine measures for people coming from China to prevent the spread of Wuhan pneumonia within the country.

Brendan Murphy, the chief health officer of Australian health authorities, announced that from the 23rd of this month, quarantine will be strengthened by screening passengers on flights from Wuhan to Sydney. Additionally, passengers will be provided with informational booklets in English and Chinese so that they can read the guide and report themselves if they suspect infection.

Murphy, who stated that the incubation period of Wuhan pneumonia is one week, explained, "It is impossible to completely prevent the spread of this disease within the country," and that this measure is intended to identify high-risk groups and ensure they receive appropriate treatment.

However, unlike during the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in 2002-2003, which claimed over 800 lives worldwide, Australian authorities decided not to conduct high-temperature screenings on passengers. This decision was based on the judgment that finding a correlation between body temperature and the disease is inefficient.