This was published 6 years ago
The symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and breathing difficulties. If you suspect you or a family member has coronavirus you should call (not visit) your GP or ring the national hotline: 1800 020 080
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The coronavirus is likely to grow in clusters through the city with at least 16 of the 54 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in NSW linked directly to Sydney's north-west.
Australia's Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy identified Sydney as "the significant, biggest part of our outbreak", as the number of confirmed cases in NSW jumped by seven on Tuesday.
Japanese national newspaper The Mainichi Shimbun is reporting that people who are caught re-selling facemasks could be slugged with a fine of one million yen ($14,638 AUD) or a year in prison.
Japan imports more than three-quarters of its masks from other countries, primarily China. As you might expect, imports have dried up as fears of COVID-19 have risen.
The new law will come into effect on March 15th, and will be lifted "once mask supply has stablised".
Australia's Chief Medical Officer will consider reducing Australia's 14-day quarantine period in the future following new scientific evidence that coronavirus symptoms appear after five days in 95 per cent of infections.
The largest study of known cases globally, from Johns Hopkins University in the United States, finds that the virus’s incubation period before symptoms appear - including fever, coughing and difficulty breathing - is roughly 5.1 days, not unlike the incubation period for the SARS outbreak in 2003.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has made some dire warnings this afternoon.
Victorians have been warned authorities will take "extreme" and unprecedented action to try to control coronavirus, with schools to be closed, sporting events cancelled and whole sectors of the workforce told to stay home.
Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Tuesday afternoon that any hope of containing the outbreak in the state was now gone and the pandemic phase of the crisis was now inevitable.
The government released its COVID-19 health sector plan on Tuesday, which included the establishment of seven screening clinics.
"Part of that plan is the inevitability that we will get to the point where, rather than one school being closed, all our schools will be closed," Mr Andrews said.
"Rather than people simply distancing themselves and quarantining themselves we may have entire sectors, entire workforces, where people are working from home."
Australia's struggling retail sector has been dealt yet another blow from the coronavirus outbreak, with essential fixtures and fittings for stores delayed for weeks as Chinese shipments stall.
Retailers both big and small have been hurt by the delay, which in some situations has prevented the opening of new stores at a time when retail trade is already significantly dented.
Already reeling from the devastating summer bushfire crisis, the country's retail sector has been plunged into a new coronavirus malaise, with tourism, consumer confidence and supply chains all impacted.
A young Brisbane woman working as an au pair in northern Italy is relieved she managed to flee the country before it became locked down as coronavirus turned her trip of a lifetime into a nightmare.
Arielle Turnbull,18, has fled across the border to Switzerland after arriving in Italy on January 3 for an au pair adventure in the small town of Verano Brianza, about 45 minutes north of Milan.
As Italy became the world's biggest coronavirus hub after China and the country ground to a halt, she had no option but to leave Verano Brianza.
Having crossed over the Swiss-Italian border to the town of Chiasso two weeks ago, Ms Turnbull says she was lucky to get out before strict quarantine rules were imposed on the northern Italian region of Lombardy.
NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg has refused to rule out the prospect of locking fans out of stadiums due to the coronavirus threat.
The NRL season kicks off on Thursday in a blockbuster match between arch-rivals Parramatta and Canterbury at Bankwest Stadium. There is no threat to that game, or any others at present, although Greenberg said he would be guided by government health authorities.
Australia could ban travellers from Italy and cancel large-scale events as health authorities race to get on top of the coronavirus crisis.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Health Minister Greg Hunt have asked the government's medical experts to review the status of Italian travel advice within 24 hours, after the number of coronavirus cases jumped to 9172 with 463 deaths.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Monday put the entire country on lockdown, stopping up to 60 million people from travelling and cancelling all schools and university classes.
Friday night's planned fundraising concert to benefit animal and human victims of the bushfires has been cancelled following American pop star Miley Cyrus's decision not to travel to Australia because of COVID-19.
Cyrus was due to headline the Bushfire Relief Concert at Lakeside Stadium in Melbourne on Friday, with Grammy-winner Lil Nas X and local duo The Veronicas supporting. But just before 2pm on Tuesday she tweeted that in light of the global health crisis she would no longer be travelling.