A Warrnambool woman is currently in lockdown in a share house in Spain after her study trip abroad was put on hold due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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Ailish O'Donohue, 21, arrived in Spain on January 25 with plans to embark on a six-month tour studying psychology through Deakin University and the University of Alicante.
But the coronavirus pandemic has left Ms O'Donohue confined to a share house in Spain's Alicante with four housemates.
She said residents were only allowed out of the house to attend the supermarket, hospital or chemist.
"It's one at a time in most stores," she said.
"There was talk of fines for people outside without the right permits but I think for now everyone is following the rules to prevent it getting to Italy's level of extremity."
Mr O'Donohue said the streets were all empty, except for police guards.
"We got stopped by police to say we had to stay apart from our housemates when walking out and about," she said.
"And random people have yelled out 'stay inside'."
Ms O'Donohue said she first heard about the coronavirus in January but didn't take it very seriously until the government announced a state of emergency on Friday.
"I was at home and instantly thought I need the supermarket now," she said.
"I grabbed the granny shopper bag and was off. We bought enough (supplies) for two weeks but all the basics were running out daily.
"On Friday and Saturday it wasn't as frantic as I've heard Aussies have been."
Ms O'Donohue said the government announced on Friday that all universities would be closed indefinitely.
"Many universities asked to have their students returned immediately but thankfully Deakin left the choice to us," she said.
"I'm staying in quarantine in Alicante as it's the safest place right now. It will also unfold back home sadly, and I'd be faced with the two-week self quarantine on arrival home, too.
"At the moment quarantine for us has been wine and planning for our travels for when it clears up, hoping all goes well."
Ms O'Donohue said the government's sudden announcement of a state of emergency was a shock.
She said her university would likely be closed until May and there was a chance she would spend her 22nd birthday in quarantine.
"It instantly felt like a nightmare but we have soon got used to it," she said.
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