Coronavirus: Passenger in home quarantine after Cairns Airport screening; authorities debunk social media speculation; latest positive test confirmed in Brisbane

UPDATE 13/3/2020

TROPIC NOW EXCLUSIVE: Up to 70,000 people in Cairns and Far North Queensland will catch coronavirus - but most will experience moderate symptons. Read our full story here.


EARLIER: 3/3/2020

A passenger on a flight who landed at Cairns International Airport on Sunday is now in home isolation for 14 days after being screened for coronavirus by local biosecurity officers.

Anyone who has recently returned from China or Iran must be screened for coronavirus and placed into self-quarantine as part of strict new containment processes in place at Australian airports, but it's not known which of the two countries the passenger recently visited.

A Queensland Health spokesperson told Tropic Now that screening involves reviewing travel history and checking for signs of illness. 

"All travellers are met on arrival by biosecurity officers who make an assessment and take necessary actions, such as isolation and referral to hospital, where required," the spokesperson said.

It comes as the Queensland Ambulance Service was called on to debunk a social media storm caused by false speculation that an emergency 'tent city' had been set up at its Anderson St depot to cope with a potential coronavirus outbreak.

Concerned residents posted photos of Tactical Response trucks parked next to the tents, but QAS confirmed the tents were erected for repairs and maintenance in preparation for major events such as the Laura Dance Festival.

This morning, a 20-year old Chinese student living in Brisbane was confirmed as the seventh person to test positive for coronavirus in Queensland. He is in a stable condition in an isolation ward at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

In response to rampant misinformation about coronavirus, Tropic Now recently published a myth-busting guide, which we encourage readers to share.