January

On 31 December 2019, Chinese authorities treated a small number of citizens for a mysterious illness in Wuhan. Fast forward to 23 March 2020, and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced an outright ban on all international flights leaving the country. This is the story of how coronavirus took our industry, and the world, by surprise in 2020.

31 December

China confirms it’s treating dozens of cases of a mysterious illness in Wuhan. However, authorities stress there is no evidence that humans can spread it. Officials reassure the public that they are actively monitoring the situation to ensure it doesn’t develop into something more severe.