A fifth person has tested positive to the potentially fatal coronavirus in Australia but health officials don't believe there's been any local human-to-human transmission.
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Australian chief medical officer Professor Brendan Murphy on Monday said there was still no evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission outside of China's Hubei province, the epicentre of the virus.
Prof Murphy disputed suggestions the virus could be transmitted during the 14-day incubation period when people weren't displaying symptoms.
"The expert panels that met today were not convinced of that," he told reporters in Melbourne.
"It would be very unusual because this virus is similar to the SARS and MERS viruses and they were not infectious before symptoms."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday convened a meeting of the National Security Committee to battle the spread of the virus in Australia and discuss the international response.
Australian authorities are urgently seeking additional advice from the World Health Organisation and international experts.
NSW Health on Monday afternoon said a 21-year-old woman had tested positive to coronavirus taking to five the number of confirmed cases in Australia.
The University of NSW student arrived at Sydney Airport on Thursday's last flight from Wuhan before Beijing banned all outbound travel.
The young woman developed symptoms within 24 hours and went to an emergency department "and was immediately put into isolation".
Three men aged 35, 43, and 53 are also being treated at Westmead Hospital for coronavirus while in Melbourne a man in his 50s is being treated at the Monash Medical Centre.
NSW Health were on Monday night testing five people for possible infection.
Four adults in Western Australia are also being tested to see if they have contracted coronavirus with Prof Murphy suggesting one of those in Perth could be positive.
The chief medical officer urged anyone who had travelled to China and developed flu-like symptoms to contact their local GP or emergency department.
Every flight into Australia from China is now being met by border security officers who work to identify unwell passengers and distribute health information.
Announcements are also being made in arrival halls.
Prof Murphy insisted there was no reason to quarantine passengers arriving from China or cancel Chinese New Year celebrations.
Foreign Minister Marise Payne said the federal government was looking "very closely" at how it could potentially help Australians escape Wuhan and Hubei province.
"We are exploring all opportunities to ensure when it is possible we can assist their departure," she told reporters in Sydney.
But, the minister said, there were limitations because Canberra doesn't have a consular presence on the ground.
So far some 385 people have called an emergency helpline for those who may have family members in the impacted region of China, Senator Payne said on Monday.
Queensland authorities on Monday cleared four patients after testing and are still seeking to contact four people who were on the same flight as the patient who is in hospital in Victoria.
The coronavirus outbreak that began in Wuhan has so far killed 80 people in China and infected more than 2750.
Australian Associated Press
