Melbourne: The total number of confirmed novel coronavirus cases in Australia on Monday reached 350 as some states in the country declared a state of emergency and announced penalties for breaching quarantine and self-isolation guidelines issued by them to contain the spread of the deadly disease.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday announced that anyone returning to Australia from overseas would be required to self-isolate for two weeks and cruise ships from foreign ports would be banned from docking in Australia.
New South Wales (NSW) reported 37 cases since Sunday, taking the total number of confirmed cases in the state to 171. In Victoria, 13 new cases brought the state total to 71.
Two elderly women died from the deadly virus, bringing the death toll in the country due to the deadly disease to five. Several schools have been shut down while state governments in Victoria, NSW and Queensland announced penalties for breach of isolation terms.
NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard said under the emergency provisions of the Public Health Act, people who hold functions of more than 500 were liable for an AUD 55,000 (USD 33,911) fine and further fines of AUD 27,500 (USD 16,953) for each additional day their event continues.
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A second-order under the emergency provisions stipulate any person entering Australia will be required to have a 14-day quarantine period.
Of the total 171 cases at this stage, we can say categorically that 67 of those cases were acquired overseas and 44 cases that we know were transmitted onshore, Hazzard said.
