AceShowbiz - Australian singer/songwriter Missy Higgins has updated fans on the health of her family after it was confirmed her dad had contracted coronavirus.

The star's dad, Dr. Chris Higgins, treated up to 70 patients before he underwent a test for the virus, and was targeted by Australia's health minister Jenny Mikakos who said she was "flabbergasted that a doctor who has experienced flu-like symptoms has presented to work."

Higgins later said he was "upset about the inaccuracies and unfairness" of the comments, as he demanded an apology from Mikakos.

The "Scar" hitmaker took to her Facebook page to share a post about the "crazy, crazy times," after the World Health Organisation (WHO) declared that the spread of COVID-19 globally can now be considered a pandemic, with more than 126,000 cases registered worldwide, and over 4,600 deaths.

"Given the amount of misinformation out there at the moment, I just wanted to let you all know that our little family is completely healthy and fine," she wrote. "We've been told none of us are at risk of having caught it but we're laying low anyway just because people seem to be freaking out around us none-the-less!"

"There is a lot of fear around. Feels a little like the world is going bonkers and the media isn't helping with that. But my dad has received such an outpouring of support and love from the public, especially from the medical community, so our main emotion right now is gratitude and relief," she continued.

Missy said she was "staying off social media for a while for obvious reasons" as she cared for her family amid the outbreak, and urged fans to "be kind to each other."