One of Australia's most senior military leaders has been put in charge of a taskforce set up to tackle fallout from the coronavirus outbreak.

Key points: The taskforce has been created to manage the military's response to the coronavirus

The taskforce has been created to manage the military's response to the coronavirus Its spread could cast doubt on Australia's participation in large-scale international military exercises

Its spread could cast doubt on Australia's participation in large-scale international military exercises Australian troops are due to take place in the world's biggest naval warfare exercise in Hawaii in July

Lieutenant-general John Frewen has been selected to head up the new taskforce, which has been created by Defence to manage the military's response to the virus.

General Frewen is also the deputy director of the Australian Signals Directorate — the arm of Australia's intelligence community that deals with cyber warfare and foreign signals intelligence.

He previously commanded Australia's forces in the Middle East, heading up Australia's operations in Afghanistan and Iraq in 2017.

The decision to put a three-star general in charge of the new taskforce is a step up from the usual practice of appointing two-star generals to lead disaster or recovery taskforces, such as after the 2011 Queensland floods or in the recent Operation Bushfire Assist.

The coronavirus is wreaking havoc with large Defence gatherings, with the RAAF cancelling a major aviation conference that was due to take place in Canberra on March 24-25.

The Air Power Conference was expected to attract around 1000 military and aviation industry heavyweights from around the world.

In a statement, organisers said the conference would not go ahead due to concerns over containment of the coronavirus

They've decided to send delegates key speeches by email instead, and advised attendees to cancel their travel and accommodation.

"This difficult decision was made in the interests of all concerned," the statement said.

How the virus spread across the country This map shows when confirmed cases were announced. It excludes cases on the Diamond Princess cruise ship.

The Defence Department says the number of ADF personnel who've tested positive for coronavirus still stands at three.

The ABC understands one is a senior naval officer who recently returned to Australia from South East Asia, but is feared to have travelled to several Australian cities while having symptoms.

The Department has confirmed one male officer aged in his 40s travelled travelled to Canberra on February 28 and tested positive to coronavirus after he returned to Sydney.

ADF personnel who have flu-like symptoms have been instructed not to turn up to work or go onto military bases, but to seek medical treatment outside Defence property.

The virus' spread could also cast doubt on Australia's participation in several large-scale international military exercises in coming months.

The international air force exercise Pitch Black, scheduled for July, would involve more than 3000 military personnel from 13 different countries descending on Darwin for war games.

Australian troops are also due to take place in the world's biggest naval warfare exercise, RIMPAC, which would see 25,000 international troops gather in Hawaii in July.