Overnight Victoria recorded three new cases of COVID-19 bringing the total number of cases in Victoria to 21.

All three were from people who have recently traveled overseas including the United States. The third is a teacher at Orthodox College Yeshiva-Beth Rivkah College where a man from recently back from overseas taught for half a day. The school has been closed, the cases have been isolated and health authorities are contacting and testing all known contacts.

A hundred more staff will man hard-pressed information hotlines, and regional hospitals - including BHS - are ready to set up fever clinics in the lead-up to what is expected to be a peak contagion period from May to July.

Premier Daniel Andrews warned of the possibility that schools, businesses and mass gatherings such as football games could all undergo major disruptions and closures as the pandemic inevitably escalated.

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Self-isolation, working and studying from home and sequestering groups at risk, along with basic hygiene, are some of the key steps aimed at slowing the spread of the global pandemic that has now claimed four Australian lives.

But Mr Andrews wanted people to avoid panicking or panic-buying and arm themselves instead with information about the risks and the preventative measures.

Despite widespread rumours and social media alarms, as of yesterday, Victoria still has relatively few cases with 18 people infected including two new cases of people returning from travel.

Another confirmed case. a teacher that caused a Melbourne school to be closed, is the first 'person-to-person' infection in Victoria, but also involved contact with a returned traveller who had contracted the virus. All have since been isolated.

Federal and Victorian chief health officers have stressed only those at high risk of contracting the virus, including heightened symptoms or those who have travelled in high-risk countries, should present at hospitals in order to allow for health services to continue to function with other demands.

In addition, they stressed 80 per cent of those who contract the disease will not need hospital treatment and will only experience mild symptoms.

Department of Health advice states for the virus to spread it needs extended close personal contact but visitors to locations where cases have been should be aware of the signs and symptoms of COVID-19.

Close personal contact is at least 15 minutes face-to-face or more than 2 hours in the same room.

The Victorian Department of Health and Human Services has a hotline for public information on COVID-19 which is 1800 675 398.

The line has been experiencing large numbers of calls and will result in some delays.

Detailed contingency plans covering the potential effects of coronavirus should be a priority for all local businesses, the CEO of Commerce Ballarat has said.

As frank warnings of the likely impact were issued by both the Premier Daniel Andrews and Brett Sutton, Victoria's chief health officer, the head of the city's business advocacy group Jodie Gillett said effects were likely to be felt across sectors.

"This is going to have an impact on every industry, small or large," Ms Gillett told The Courier.

"Everyone in business needs to be looking to the worst case scenario and planning for that to ensure they can continue to function at whatever level."

She said those worst case plans would hopefully not have to be put in place but could prove a crucial resource if local industries were affected by further government measures such as school closures.

While Ms Gillett said most of the larger organisations based in the area would already have detailed contingency plans in place, the same might not be the case for smaller business owners.

Ms Gillett said measures could include working from home if required and that were a feasible option open to businesses.

On a wider level, she also urged restraint among shoppers when it came to hoarding items such as toilet paper, handwash and disinfectant, which have often been cleared from local supermarket shelves.

"People need to be sensible with their shopping so that everyone has access to the essential items they need," she said.

Ms Gillett also urged residents to buy local wherever possible: "The more we can keep our economy moving, the better."

So far, the threat of the virus has had the sharpest impact on the tourism sector in the Ballarat area, particularly affecting businesses with a large number of overseas visitors.

Sovereign Hill reported a steep fall in bookings when the travel ban from China was first put in place. It coincided with China's Lunar New Year, usually a peak time for Chinese nationals to travel.

Other attractions such as the Creswick Wool Mill and Ballarat Wildlife Park, as well as the accommodation sector, have also reported feeling the effects.

On Tuesday, travel agents in the region received another setback, when travel advice for travelling on cruise ships was upgraded to "reconsider the need to travel", the second highest level of advice.

The supply chain for some manufacturing businesses has also been squeezed, with tighter restrictions affecting imports and exports.

The CEO for the Committee for Ballarat Michael Poulton said the city needed to be agile enough to cope if the intervention measures did escalate.

"It would have huge implications for businesses and organisations - if schools have to close, and parents are taken out of the workforce for example," he said.

"Our key message is to follow the very comprehensive advice on the DHHS and Emergency Victoria websites."

Those guidelines highlight the elderly as particularly at risk. The federal government suggested last week one potential measure could involve the quarantining of aged care facilities.

Maryann Curry, the director clinical Services for Bupa Villages and Aged Care Australia, told The Courier staff at their homes were on a high alert for a wider COVID-19 outbreak.

"We are taking every necessary step to prevent infection among our aged care homes," she said in a written statement.

"This includes further strengthening our existing outbreak prevention measures across all of our homes and putting in place precautionary measures such as making sure we have enough essential equipment available if needed."

Ms Curry also said a new sign-in process had been introduced to screen any visitors at risk or with flu-like symptoms and to ensure they stayed home until they were cleared to visit.

The Courier also approached the City of Ballarat. In an emailed response, a spokesperson said the council would continue to monitor its plans to ensure it was "prepared for any eventuality".

They also directed residents to information on the DHHS website, saying: "The City will be guided by its advice at all times."

Church leaders across different denominations have asked congregations and ministers to take extra care due to the risk posed by the coronavirus.

Catholic dioceses and parishes received guidelines ahead of services last weekend asking individuals to consider their own health, including the potential to infect others, before attending.

The guidelines also included suggestions that Holy Water should be removed from stoups at church doors, although there were no restrictions on it being available to take home.

Handshakes were also advised against, while ministers of Holy Communion were told to take "particular care" to wash their hands. They were also told to stop distributing holy communion from the chalice until further notice.

Those too unwell to attend Sunday Mass could participate in time of prayer at home, read the scriptures or watch Mass on television, guidelines published in a document from the Australian Catholic Bishops conference suggested.

It said the measures were drawn from advice issued by the Commonwealth Department of Health.

The Anglican diocese of Ballarat also released guidelines along similar lines to its congregation.

Its churches were asked to make hand sanitiser available, supplies permitting, with clergy and assistants advised to clean hands with hand sanitiser before administering Holy Communion.

Their guidelines stopped short on advising against handshakes, limiting that advice to those feeling unwell. Receiving wine during communion is also now being described as optional.

The Anglican diocese said posters would also be displayed from the department of Health and Human Services, outlining the best hygiene practices.

They said further measures could be introduced if necessary and they would continue to monitor the situation as it unfolded.

As of late Tuesday, there are less than 20 cases of coronavirus in Victoria. None in Ballarat.

Each day for the past week, The Courier has received at least one phone call from a "concerned" resident who has been told that they know someone, who knows someone, who works at Ballarat Health Services and there are positive cases in Ballarat.

These concerned citizens say they are "sick with worry" knowing there are people in our town affected and nobody knows. Yet our follow up conversations from every enquiry with Ballarat Health Services have so far resulted in zero confirmed cases.

We're calling fake news on this until we hear otherwise from the trusted health professionals, and that's what you should be doing too.

Because of the seriousness of the potential outbreak, health professionals must follow guidelines, if that means sending staff home, then they do it. That does not mean an outbreak.

If there were confirmed cases, the Victorian Health Department would tell us straight away like they have with flights, like they have with the Kew school on Tuesday morning, like they have for all 18 cases so far recorded in this state. Just because someone is in hospital with "flu-like symptoms" does not mean there is a coronavirus outbreak.

Is there a chance you might get the virus? Absolutely. Victoria's chief health officer Dr Brett Sutton says the peak of the coronavirus outbreak is still months away and warns you are a 50-50 chance of getting it.

If you do, the likelihood is you'll need a couple of weeks off work, or school, just as you would have if you get the flu. If you are elderly, you might even need hospitalisation as you would with the flu. In Australia there has been 100 cases to date - which will rise - and three deaths, people aged 95, 82 and 78.

If you are young, the chances are your symptoms will be so mild it won't stop you from doing your school work, even though you might be doing it at home for a couple of weeks.

But remember this, COVID-19 is not Ebola, the vast majority will recover.

Speaking on radio on Tuesday morning, Dr Sutton said the "entire population" was in danger of being exposed.

He said the outbreak could peak in May, June or July and warned the current situation in Australia was only the beginning. However, he also believed it would be gone before Christmas.

"I think that the entire population will have a 50-50 chance of getting it," Dr Sutton told 3AW.

"As each day passes that will increase and people need to start making plans for not having those social or other meetings or conferences or gatherings planned into the next couple of months."

Screening clinics have been set up in metropolitan hospitals. At this stage those clinics are not required in regional areas, but plans are in place for any actuality.

The facts remain this. Trust the health department. Don't trust rumour and certainly don't trust social media. Above all, listen to those who know the truth.

Schools across Ballarat are postponing or cancelling international travel in 2020 due to the worldwide spread of coronavirus.

As the first person-to-person infection is confirmed in Victoria to be a senior teacher from a Kew private school, Ballarat schools are deep into their own planning for when and if the virus spreads to this city.

So far there have been no confirmed cases of coronavirus in Ballarat.

St Patrick's College, Ballarat Grammar, Clarendon College and Damascus were all among schools to confirm they had called off planned trips in 2020.

Ballarat Grammar Headmaster Adam Heath said that the school had taken the decision to postpone all non-essential overseas travel.

"Families have been advised of the likelihood that these travel restrictions will be extended to other countries in the coming weeks and that the same quarantine and medical certificate requirements will be extended by the School to align with emerging decisions by the Australian Government," Mr Heath said.

"If unsure, families have been asked to contact the school before their children return from any overseas travel."

St Patrick's College confirmed it had postponed a planned trip to Japan in June and July this year.

"We can confirm that a decision has been made in relation to our planned Japanese tour in the Term 2 holidays," Director of community development Paul Nolan said.

"Parents of boys scheduled to attend that tour have received notification that the tour has been postponed to a date to be fixed with the aim of rescheduling in 2021."

Damascus College has also postponed a trip to France this year, while Ballarat High School is another set to call off its international travel plans.

"Due to the unfolding outbreak of the coronavirus, the Damascus College overseas school excursion to France has been cancelled," the school said.

Loreto College said a full staff briefing would be held on Wednesday morning and the school would be happy to release details publicly after that.

Ballarat Clarendon College said a planned German exchange had also been cancelled.

"Given that the Victorian Department of Education and Training, upon the advice of Victoria's Chief Health, ordered government schools to cancel all international travel, with the exception of New Zealand and Canada, we have aligned with that advice," the school said.

"As a consequence, an upcoming German exchange, the US Study Tour and the Cambodia expedition have been cancelled."

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