Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Health. Will the minister update the House on the plans the Morrison government is putting in place to protect Australians from the outbreak of coronavirus?

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to thank the member for Berowra, who has come to this place and been a great advocate for public health and, in particular, for mental health and suicide prevention, along with the member for Eden-Monaro and many, many others.

In terms of the situation with regard to coronavirus, we now know that the latest figures show that over 81,300 people have been diagnosed with having coronavirus, and 2,770 have, sadly, lost their lives. In particular, though, what has characterised global developments in the recent week has been the spread across countries outside of China. In the last 24 hours, I'm advised that Algeria, Brazil, Greece and Pakistan have confirmed their first cases. What is interesting about that, sadly, is that we have Africa, South America, West Asia and Europe all with new countries with their first case. What this says is that the arc of the virus continues to expand—that we are seeing more countries and more diagnoses, particularly outside of China.

Against that background, the very clear message for Australians is that we are not immune, but we are well prepared. It remains the case that there are only 15 cases that have been diagnosed within the general public in Australia. All have cleared the virus, as the Prime Minister has confirmed this week. And I thank state and territory health authorities. Within the Northern Territory, it remains that there are eight cases, which have come from passengers from the Diamond Princess. All are in containment, with mild to moderate conditions. A number of additional cases have been tested and found to be negative, and there are two currently being tested, on the latest advice—actually provided to me during question time by Professor Len Notaras, the head of the national trauma centre.

Against that background, though, the very clear message to Australians is: at this point in time, there is clear containment, but, with a world where we are seeing increasing numbers, we have to be ever vigilant, which is precisely why we have developed, in conjunction with the states and the territories and Commonwealth agencies, the national pandemic plan. This pandemic plan—

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Health has the call.

Greg Hunt (Flinders, Liberal Party, Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

is aimed at protecting Australians against what could be a global threat. We don't varnish it. We set it out. But we say to the Australian people: we are well prepared. We are as well prepared as anybody in the world. And we will get through this.