"We've got to start acting as one if we're going to deal with the threat of COVID-19. We've got to ensure ... we're all singing from the same hymn sheet and we know what's expected of us and that information is clearly communicated to use in real time and updated as quickly as necessary." Medical communities across the country are working to set up telehealth conferences to enable GPs to consult patients suspected of having coronavirus via an internet or phone hook-up. Dr Chris Higgins and daughter Missy, pictured at a fundraising telethon several years ago. Credit:ASRC/Facebook Dr Bartone said it was important for the sector to find innovative ways to deal with the health crisis that is shaping up to be a global pandemic, and called on the federal government to set aside funding for telehealth conferences. Ms Mikakos on Sunday refused to apologise to Dr Higgins, who on Saturday night accused the minister of having "taken a cheap opportunity for political grandstanding". Instead, Ms Mikakos said everyone had a responsibility to prevent the spread of the virus.

"We are still in the containment phase of what will likely be a pandemic, so to protect the public and healthcare workers we can’t take any chances," Ms Mikakos said in a written statement. "And all of us have a responsibility to do what we can to prevent the spread of this virus. If you work in a health service, the aged care sector and/or a GP clinic it is absolutely imperative that if you are unwell and/or display the risk factors of COVID-19 that you do not attend work." Updated health advice for Australians The symptoms of coronavirus include: Fever

Cough

Shortness of breath; and

Breathing difficulties If you suspect you or a family member has coronavirus you should call (not visit) your GP or ring the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080. There was also plenty of support for Ms Mikakos' view among readers who commented on theage.com.au and wrote letters to The Age. But AMA Victoria president Associate Professor Julian Rait echoed Dr Bartone's calls for Ms Mikakos to apologise and retract her statements, adding it was important for governments to show leadership and be unified with the health sector in their response to the crisis.

"The comments we've seen yesterday were unhelpful, and we hope that we can address those and move on and make sure that the medical profession itself gets the support from government," Associate Professor Rait said. Former AMA president Kerryn Phelps has also leapt to the defence of Dr Higgins, and said GPs were "furious" about the inconsistent advice. Loading Replay Replay video Play video Play video "The public health messaging to doctors and the public has been a shambles," she said. "How about the states and the Commonwealth public health authorities get together and come up with a consistent line of advice for GPs at the frontline of this evolving epidemic so that we can make decisions in the best interest of our patients’ health, and for health professionals as well."

Opposition health spokeswoman Georgie Crozier said the health minister had lost the confidence of the GP fraternity and that she had "botched" the state government's response to the coronavirus outbreak. "She's sending mixed messages. She's saying go about your lives normally, live your lives normally, don't panic but if you have a runny nose stay isolated in your home," Ms Crozier said. "They've provided confusion among the very, very areas there need to be clear and definite guidelines and that is through our GP fraternity and our healthcare sector, they need clear guidelines." Melbourne GPs have rallied around Dr Higgins. In a letter sent to Ms Mikakos and federal Health Minister Greg Hunt, the doctors said GPs were watching events unfolding "with increasing horror".

"We know from the experience of other countries that many doctors have become sick and died in the course of doing their jobs in this outbreak," they said in the letter. "We are already struggling to come up with plans on how to look after our patients while minimising the risk to ourselves, our patients and our loved ones." In the letter, they said claims of equipment given to doctors to protect themselves and patients were "completely untrue". Australia has at least 77 cases of coronavirus, including 38 in NSW and 12 in Victoria. Worldwide, more than 100,000 people have contracted the virus, and more than 3,500 have died. Dr Higgins was the 11th Victorian to test positive for coronavirus. He saw about 70 patients at The Toorak Clinic and aged-care facility MecWaCare last week.

A 50-year-old woman visiting from Indonesia has become the 12th person to test positive for coronavirus in Victoria on Sunday afternoon. Loading The woman flew from Jakarta to Perth on February 27 in a healthy condition, but two days later, while staying in Perth, began to show symptoms. She arrived in Melbourne from Perth via Virgin Airlines flight VA682 on Monday, March 2 and saw a GP four days later, who ordered a COVID-19 test. While in Melbourne she visited the Pho Hung Vuong 2 Vietnamese Restaurant in Richmond on Friday for about 40 minutes between 6pm and 7pm.