The federal government has upgraded its travel advice for China, warning Australians if they travel to Wuhan City to exercise a high degree of caution and if they develop a respiratory illness to seek medical advice.
Scientists at the University of Queensland remain on standby to assist in developing a vaccine should the virus reach emergency pandemic levels.
Molecular Virologist Dr Keith Chappell says they have developed a technology that allows them to create the vaccines very quickly to distribute in the population.
“Best case scenario - this will all blow over and we won’t need to respond at all. Worst case scenario - it will be a pandemic and we will need millions or billions of doses.”
The rapid spread of the disease also led some Chinese Australians to cancel their Lunar New Year travel plans.
