The official number of coronavirus cases in Australia appears to be almost doubling every three days.

If this apparent rate of infection continues, Australia would have close to 20,000 cases by the start of April, according to statistics provided by state health departments.

That equates to about 153,000 by Easter.

Each Australian health department provides updated coronavirus case figures daily.

The numbers show Australian infections are on a similar trajectory to those seen in Europe.

The first coronavirus case in Australia was confirmed on January 25.

As of Monday morning, the country has 299 confirmed cases.

Three days ago, on March 12, Australia had 159 cases.

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New South Wales Health confirmed the state had 171 coronavirus cases on Monday, March 16.

That number has risen from 92 just three days earlier.

The NSW school holidays start on Friday, April 9.

If cases continue to ‘double’ every three days, NSW could theoretically expect about 38,400 cases by the time students walk out the gates.

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Other Australian states have followed the same three-day ‘doubling’ pattern.

Queensland had 27 confirmed coronavirus cases on March 12. By March 15, the sunshine state had 61.

Victoria had 27 cases on March 12, climbing to 57 on March 15.

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The government is trying to curb the number of new cases by using “social distancing” measures.

On Friday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a ban, from Monday, on non-essential mass gatherings of more than 500 people.

In the video below schools in New York to shut down

Play Video All schools in New York will be closed until April 20 to stop the spread of coronavirus All schools in New York will be closed until April 20 to stop the spread of coronavirus

And on Sunday, he said anyone arriving in Australia would have to self-isolate for 14 days.

Cruise ships also have been banned from arriving at Australian ports for an initial 30 days.

Overseas trends

The rapid rise of coronavirus cases in Australia is remarkably similar to the trends in Europe.

In France, which has now shut down shops, restaurants and cafes, cases have doubled between every two and every four days.

France has 4,499 confirmed cases. Three days ago, that number was 2,281.

In the United Kingdom, where people aged over 70 have been told to self-isolate, the same ‘doubling’ effect can be observed.

On March 14, the UK had 1,140 confirmed coronavirus cases. On March 11, the UK had 460.

A woman is stopped by Italian soldiers guarding the French-Italian border on March 15. Credit: Daniel Cole / AP

Italy, known as the epicentre of the virus in Europe, reported cases doubling every two days.

The rate has gone down to doubling every five days since March 10.

Italians have been told to stay home, and restaurants, cafes and non-essential shops have been shut.

Test delays

People who suspect they have coronavirus in NSW have been told they need to wait for up to five days for test results.

That means the official figures will lag behind the actual number of cases in the community.

With confirmed cases now in the hundreds, there’s been criticism around the rate of testing in Australia compared to places like South Korea. Credit: Getty Images

Deputy Chief Health Officer Paul Kelly told reporters on Monday the country’s primary goal in combatting the outbreak is to “slow the curve of an epidemic”.

He predicted as many as three in five Australians could contract the disease in the next month.

What is the coronavirus?

Coronaviruses are a group of viruses that can cause a range of symptoms including a runny nose, cough, sore throat and fever. Some are mild, such as the common cold, while others are more likely to lead to pneumonia.

The latest strain was discovered in the Chinese province of Wuhan.

How do you get coronavirus?

China says the virus is mutating and can be transmitted through human contact.

It’s primarily spread through a sick person coughing or sneezing on someone but a person could also become infected through contact with the virus particles on a surface, NSW Health warns.

What are coronavirus symptoms?

Symptoms include fever, cough and difficulty breathing. Most of those affected are older people and those with underlying health conditions.

How dangerous is the coronavirus?

The virus has caused alarm because it is still too early to know how dangerous it is and how easily it spreads between people.

How do you treat coronavirus?

As it stands, there is no vaccine for the virus and, because it is new, humans have not been able to build immunity to it.

A group of Melbourne researchers have been tasked with finding a vaccine, while China is testing the HIV drug Aluvia as a treatment.

Where can I find further information on coronavirus?

There is a coronavirus hotline, 1800 020 080

The Coronavirus Health Information Line operates 24/7.

The Federal Government’s Health Department also has a dedicated coronavirus page on its website.

How do I protect myself from coronavirus?

WHO’s standard recommendations: