Supermarkets are running out of stock as people across Australia panic buy supplies amid a potential coronavirus outbreak.
The deadly virus has infected more than 85,000 people across 59 countries and killed almost 3,000 – mostly in mainland China.
But authorities are increasingly concerned about the threat of a worldwide pandemic, and Australians have been racing to stores to prepare for the worst.
Coles in Claremont, Perth, was brimming with people on Saturday as they stocked up on essential hand sanitiser, toilet paper, tinned food and bottled water.
The aisles in Coles in Claremont were unusually empty on Saturday as shoppers stockpiled the essentials
The disease has spread to 59 countries globally and killed almost 3,000 people worldwide
Throughout the region grocers and pharmacies have run out of hand sanitiser. Some stores don’t expect more stock until mid week.
One shopper said the hysteria surrounding the outbreak was most concerning.
‘There’s so many people grabbing stuff. It’s kind of intimidating,’ Lucy Bell told 7News.
‘It kind of worries me, seeing that.’
Shelves in the store were unusually empty as customers purchased multiple boxes of bottled water and packets of toilet paper.
Another woman said it was the same story at her local Coles, too.
‘Toilet paper, nappies, pads all bare at my Coles tonight. Absolutely disgusted,’ she wrote on Facebook.
Customers were ‘disgusted’ at the low supply levels in store when they went to do their groceries
Some stores claim they won’t be able to restock essentials until mid week, because Western Australia has a long weekend
FOOD AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS TO STOCKPILE IN A PANDEMIC
Extra prescription medications, asthma relief inhalers
Over-the-counter anti-fever and pain medications
Feminine hygiene products
Family pack of toilet paper
Vitamins
Alcohol-containing hand rub
Household cleaning agents and soap
Tissues, paper towel
Cereals, grains, beans, lentils, pasta
Tinned food – fish, vegetables, fruit
Oil, spices and flavours
Dried fruit and nuts
Ultra-heat treated or powdered milk
Soft drink or candy/chocolate for treats
Pet food and care
Source: Virology Down Under by University of Queensland virologists Dr Ian Mackay and Dr Katherine Arden
One of Australia’s leading survivalists said people should start bulking up their weekly shop before the virus’ spread leads to food supply shortages.
‘We should always be prepared for food shortages – not just from coronavirus but civil incidences, extreme weather and power outages which will cut us off from supply,’ Western Australian survival instructor Bob Cooper told Daily Mail Australia on Wednesday.
Mr Cooper said Australians should start thinking about whether their food cupboards could sustain them if the supply chain is broken.
‘You need to think about things that have a long shelf life: dried fruit, dried foods, cereals, pasta will also last a long time,’ he said.
‘Packets of flour will also allow to make your own bread.’
Lucy Bell (left) was shopping at Coles and said watching all the panic buying made her nervous
CORONAVIRUS CASES IN AUSTRALIA: 25
NEW SOUTH WALES: 4
January 25
- Three men aged 43, 53, and 35 who had recently travelled to China contracted the disease.
- Two flew in from Wuhan while the other arrived in Sydney from Shenzhen, south China.
- They were treated in isolation at Westmead Hospital
January 27
- A 21-year-old woman is identified as the fourth person to test positive for the illness in NSW.
- The woman, a student at UNSW, flew into Sydney International Airport on flight MU749 on January 23 and presented to the emergency department 24 hours later after developing flu-like symptoms.
VICTORIA: 7
January 25
- A Chinese national aged in his 50s becomes the first confirmed case of the coronavirus in Australia.
- The man flew to Melbourne on China Southern flight CZ321 from Wuhan via Guangzhou on January 19.
- He was quarantined at Monash Hospital in Clayton in Melbourne’s east.
January 29
- A Victorian man in his 60s is diagnosed with the coronavirus.
- He became unwell on January 23 – two days after returning from the Chinese city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the outbreak.
- The man was confirmed as positive on January 29 and was subsequently seen by doctors at the Monash Medical Centre.
January 30
- A woman in her 40s is found to have coronavirus.
- She was visiting from China and mostly spent time with her family.
- She is being treated at Royal Melbourne Hospital.
February 1
- A woman in her 20s in Melbourne is found to have the virus
February 22
- Two passengers taken off the Diamond Princess cruise ship test positive
- Third passenger taken off the cruise ship tests positive
QUEENSLAND: 9
January 29
- Queensland confirms its first case after a 44-year-old Chinese national was diagnosed with the virus. He is being treated at Gold Coast University Hospital.
January 30
- A 42-year-old Chinese woman who was travelling in the same Wuhan tour group as the 44-year-old man tests positive. She is in Gold Coast University Hospital in stable condition.
February 4
- An eight-year-old boy was diagnosed with coronavirus. He is also from the tour group where the other Queensland cases came from
February 5
- A 37-year-old man, who was a member of a group of nine Chinese tourists in quarantine on the Gold Coast, also tested positive
February 6
- A 37-year-old woman was diagnosed with coronavirus from the same travel group that flew to Queensland from Melbourne on January 27
February 21
- Two Queensland women, aged 54 and 55, tested positive for COVID-19 and will be flown to Brisbane for further treatment.
- A 57-year-old woman from Queensland also tested positive for the virus. February 28 A 63-year-old woman was confirmed to have the virus after returning to the Gold Coast from Iran.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA: 3
February 1
- A Chinese couple in their 60s who arrived in Adelaide from Wuhan to visit relatives are confirmed to have coronavirus.
- A 24-year-old woman from South Australia was transferred to Royal Adelaide Hospital
WESTERN AUSTRALIA: 1
February 21
- A 78-year-old man from Western Australia was transferred to Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital in Perth. On February 28, he was taken into intensive care in a ‘serious’ condition
DIAMOND PRINCESS CRUISE SHIP: 8
- Of the 23 overall cases in Australia, eight contracted the disease on the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which had gone into quarantine in the Japanese port of Yokohama
- They tested positive for the coronavirus after arriving at the Manigurr-ma Village Howard Springs facility in Darwin, and are now being treated in their home states