When asked whether she thought is was an overly cautious move, Cr Ellis said while she was disappointed the event would not go ahead as planned, she understood the organisers' reasons for cancelling it.
"Sometimes people have to lean on the side of caution," Cr Ellis said. "If there are concerns, it can take the shine off the event."
The celebrations are expected to be rescheduled at a later date.
Asian Business Association of Whitehorse president Tom Zheng said in a statement: “This decision is acknowledged by the City of Whitehorse, who will continue to work with ABAW to reschedule the festival.”
Earlier this month, Mr Zheng announced he wanted to use the event to raise money to support bushfire victims.
It remains unclear whether Lunar New Year celebrations in Carnegie, in Melbourne's south-east, will go ahead this weekend.
As the death toll rise to 170 people, the World Health Organisation has voiced "grave concern" about the person-to-person spread of coronavirus in three other countries ahead of an emergency committee meeting to decide whether it now constitutes a global emergency.
Diners at a popular Chinese restaurant in Glen Waverley may have also been exposed to the coronavirus, with Victoria’s second case being confirmed on Wednesday.
Loading
The patient, a man in his 60s who had travelled to Wuhan in China, is now isolated and recovering at home.
Victoria’s chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton said the man became sick on January 23, two days after returning from China, and had remained isolated except for attending dinner with his family on Australia Day.
The man ate at the House of Delight restaurant in Glen Waverley with five family members between 5.30pm and 7pm.
Dr Sutton urged anyone who was at the restaurant during this time to be aware of symptoms.
Loading
“That restaurant is OK to go to now, people don’t need to avoid the area or indeed anywhere else,” he said.
As of early Thursday morning, the restaurant appeared to have closed with a sign on its door suggesting it would not open until until February 9.
The announcement came shortly before Queensland's chief health officer, Jeannette Young, confirmed the first case of the illness in that state.
The news of the fresh cases came as federal health authorities asked all people who had had any contact with a confirmed case of coronavirus to isolate themselves in their homes for 14 days.
Meanwhile, NSW Health have confirmed the number of people in that state under investigation for the virus has jumped from six to 16.
Dr Sutton said the results of tests on 14 more Victorians were still pending while 61 people who were initially suspected of having the virus had come back with negative tests.
Monash University also announced it had postponed exams that were scheduled to start on February 3.
Melissa Cunningham is The Age's health reporter.
Most Viewed in National
Loading
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Lunar New Year festival cancelled amid coronavirus outbreak - The Age"
Post a Comment