The first case of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) in Bundaberg has been confirmed by Queensland Health.
Queensland Health has reported that a 48 year old female is being managed by the Wide Bay region Public Health unit after being confirmed with COVID-19.
This takes the state total to 46 which includes 3 passengers from the Diamond Princess Cruise Ship.
Queensland Health can confirm all cases remain isolated in appropriate accommodation to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and all patients are currently stable.
Contact tracing is well underway.
Public Health Units have been able to confirm the majority have travelled overseas or have had exposure to a confirmed cases.
Queensland Health will notify the community if any other public health alerts are required.
LDMG chair calls for calm
As chair of the Local Disaster Management Group, incumbent Mayor Jack Dempsey has called for calm.
“I wish to reassure the community that Council has contingencies to maintain essential services such as rubbish collection, water and sewerage,” he said.
“We proved during the 2013 floods that we can keep our community safe in adverse circumstances.
“Stay calm and follow the advice of health experts. Don’t panic.”
5 ways to help stop spread of viruses
Queensland Health has this advice for stopping the spread of the virus:
- Clean your hands regularly with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rubs.
- Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or bent elbow when coughing or sneezing.
- Avoid touching your face, nose and mouth.
- Stay home if you are unwell.
- Avoid contact with anyone who is unwell – try to stay 1.5m away from anyone coughing or sneezing.
- More information can be found here.
Queensland Health states that if anyone has been overseas in the past 14 days and feels unwell, they should see a doctor immediately.
They should ensure they call ahead to their GP to let them know they're coming, so they can prepare and provide instructions.
Anyone with concerns about coronavirus (COVID-19) can call 13 HEALTH (13 43 25 84) or find up-to-date reliable information on the Queensland Health website.
- More Wide Bay Health news
I know people in the disaster management team and heard their stories of coping with the flood. I have full confidence.
Trosty
there is managing panic and then there is being proactive and getting organised. The first job is for the Disaster Committee to communicate to the general public the Pandemic Plan (yesterday) in broad terms. The detail would be available on-line for those interested. If the Committee doesn’t have a Plan we are already in trouble.
The two fundamental functions of the plan are to avoid an avalanche of ricocheting health and logistics problems and stopping where possible the biggest and nastiest boulders. You would have heard by now of ‘flattening the curve’, that is what the Plan does.
‘She’ll be right’ is not a plan, it is a death toll waiting to happen. I am not criticizing the Disaster Committee at all. But the local flood no matter how bad is was, is not in the same league as an international pandemic that has the potential to kill a lot of people and stuff the economy for years. If for example the Disaster Committee had an epidemiologist of national standing on its board and is in close contact with representatives from the Hospitals, GPs, pharmacies, Ambulance, retirement villages, police, Volunteer organisations, (SES, Meals on Wheels, Men’s Sheds etc.), road transport companies, QRail, Australia Post, overnight couriers, public and private schools, day-care centres, State essential services etc. etc. I could quietly and guiltily slink away and shut my mouth.
Best case I am wrong and we wing our way through this. Worst case based on international figures is about 1% fatalities of those infected (possibly similar to Italy – regional Australia has higher average ages and comorbidities; and medical services are below the national average).
Infection rates over the next 12 months will be (based on the modelling) anywhere between 25% and about 70%. The lower figure probably reflects extremely good (best in the western world) social distancing and the 70% is the low end of when herd (discrete human population) immunity kicks in. (Do yourself a favour and look these terms up). The British govt. was proposing this last week and got slammed for it (remember fatality levels for the infected)
It hardly rolls of the tongue but we need: Proactive, Planning and Preparation with Incremental, Preventative Implementation; we ratchet up as we go).. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the Bundaberg Region through shear bloody minded COMPETENCE came out the other side of this mostly intact and as the example of how it should have been done. I refer you to Italy and Iran for the alternative.
What an excellent post. My concern is the lack of daily updates Regarding people with the virus. Or wow. Is there just the one in the region? Really? My grandsons are being told at school, that they won’t get it. So they are not taking it seriously. Just laugh when the parents are trying to stop them sleeping over at friends, and refusing to allow their friends general access to their homes, or sleep over. Parents sadly, lost control over their kids years ago. They impose a huge threat in times like this. The devil may care attitude prevails. They will just go and do what they want, with whom they want, when and how they want. Hm.