A Brisbane man is being tested for the new strain of coronavirus, as Queensland health authorities urge those who have visited China and have respiratory issues to visit their GPs.

While Australia’s Chief Medical Officer earlier said the risk to the Australian public from the virus was low and there was no need for alarm, the man has been isolated.

“Although, we do need to keep a precautionary and active surveillance of the situation,” Professor Brendan Murphy told reporters in Canberra on Tuesday.

Queensland health authorities later confirmed they were testing the man for the virus after he recently returned from visiting family in Wuhan.