WA's chief health officer Andrew Robertson said the man died overnight in an ICU negative pressure room. Loading His wife remained in a stable condition in hospital. His family were able to speak to him last night through an isolation window, before he died in the early hours of Sunday. Dr Robertson said the man's wife was obviously upset.

"It doesn’t change anything for the status of coronavirus," he said. "We always knew it would be a serious virus, especially for the elderly." Dr Robertson told reporters on Sunday morning that the man's wife was currently in the negative pressure room and would be moved to ICU if necessary. He said the incubation period for the disease was usually between two and eight days. "I don’t think it surprised anybody," he said. "It’s the second week where it seems people get worse.

Loading "One of the things we are trying to do is contain the disease. We are strongly encouraging people to get the flu vaccine this year. "We’ve been watching the development of the disease around the world and there’s obviously community spread in a number of countries so it is likely we’ll get community spread in the next three to six months." Dr Robertson confirmed on Friday the man's wife had also contracted the illness and had been isolated at a Perth hospital. He said there was no risk to the general community or hospital staff.

"I’m concerned about people panicking," Dr Robertson said. "We need to make the point very clear there isn’t community spread in Australia. "This very tragic case is related to the Diamond Princess, so the community shouldn’t be panicking at this stage." On Friday the head of the Australian Medical Association's WA branch, Andrew Miller, warned "tens of thousands" could be hospitalised with the virus, just in Perth alone. “Some of those are going to be critically ill," Dr Miller told 6PR's Gareth Parker on Friday morning.

“About 10 per cent of [affected] people could need intensive care support. Loading “If we don’t make preparations now it’ll all be too late.” Dr Miller warned against panic, and made assurances WA was “very well prepared” for the possible impact of coronavirus, but he did urge people to take personal responsibility for their own health and isolate themselves if they were sick. “If this hits we’re going to have to think about closing schools and preventing mass gatherings,” he said.

“People just need to be aware that life could change. “We need to make plans for those around us who are vulnerable. “It’s all about preparation, not panic.” As of Saturday morning, the federal Department of Health had counted 25 confirmed cases of coronavirus across the nation, but a man returning from Iran had been confirmed in NSW raising that state's tally from four to five. Health authorities were reconsidering advice for travel to Italy following the growing number of confirmed cases in Europe, Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Sunday.

Mr Hunt said he had asked deputy chief medical officer, Professor Paul Kelly, to consider the appropriate level of travel advice for Italy. The number of confirmed cases in Italy rose overnight from 821 to 1128. Eight more people died from the illness, bringing the death toll to 29 in what is the worst COVID-19 cluster outside Asia. Mr Hunt said the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee was meeting daily and reviewing travel advisories. "I have asked them specifically today as part of their work to consider what the appropriate level of advice is for Italy," Mr Hunt said outside Frankston hospital in Melbourne.