Australia's chief medical officer Brendan Murphy has been advised one of the people being investigated for coronavirus in Perth may test positive.

"I'm advised that one of the people being tested in Perth may be positive, and the others look like they may be negative, but that's still to be confirmed," he told a national press conference.

Western Australia's chief health officer had earlier on Monday revealed four people who had symptoms and had travelled recently were being tested in the state.

"The Western Australian Department of Health can confirm that four case are currently under investigation for the novel coronavirus," Andrew Robertson said.