Global pact to shore up world’s future pandemic defence
A global supply chain and logistic network features in a proposed pact to fight future pandemics that has been agreed by World Health Organisation members.
epidemic and plague
Top US vaccine official resigns, criticises RFK Jr
The top US vaccine official has resigned and criticised the nation's health department boss for allowing "misinformation and lies" to guide his thinking.
WHO sends experts to DR Congo over mystery disease
The World Health Organisation is sending experts to the Democratic Republic of Congo to support local authorities in investigating an apparently new disease.
Deadly cough spreading like wildfire amid record cases
Australians are falling behind on whooping cough vaccinations as the nation faces its worst outbreak of the deadly bacterial disease.
Bird flu outbreak sparks mass cull of farmed chickens
Thousands of birds at an egg farm will be culled after a bird flu outbreak as authorities reveal a child is Australia's first case of a deadly global strain.
Cheesed-off plague town hit by 1000 drowned rats a day
A rat plague has swept through a far north Queensland fishing town, which is looking to the heavens to help solve the growing crisis.
Government faces pressure to widen virus inquiry scope
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has accused the government of running a "protection racket" for Labor premiers by excluding state issues from a COVID-19 inquiry.
Lockdowns, border closures exempt in pandemic inquiry
Experts will look into Australia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, but decisions taken by the states on lockdowns or border closures will be exempt.
COVID royal commission backer says things have changed
The Albanese government has been forced to defend its decision not to set up a royal commission but rather a three-expert inquiry into the pandemic.
NSW wants Queensland to pay $105m hotel quarantine bill
NSW is calling on its northerly neighbour Queensland to pay $105 million it says remains outstanding in hotel quarantine costs.
Data of some Victorians put at risk during pandemic
An investigation by the Victorian Information Commissioner has found there were multiple breaches of personal information during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Yarn sculpture shows ties that bind in HIV science art
Artists are working with scientists in an unusual sideline at Brisbane's major HIV conference, bringing research to life in new ways.
Auditor wants change after Wellcamp quarantine facility
After a year-long investigation, Queensland's auditor-general has delivered his findings on the controversial $223 million quarantine facility at Wellcamp.
Call for public monitoring to tackle police racism
A police monitoring system in Victoria will help stop racial profiling and hold officers accountable when they break the law, a legal group says.
Qld scraps COVID-19 alert system amid flu outbreak
Queensland's traffic light advisory for COVID-19 will be scrapped as flu cases across the state continue to rise, the government has announced.
Millions to be spent on research into long COVID
The federal government will inject $50 million into long COVID research as a committee outlined plans for a national database of the virus.
Top doctor’s flu warning ahead of virus triple threat
The former face of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, Dr Nick Coatsworth, is urging Australians not to make the same mistake he did about the flu vaccine.
epidemic and plague
government health care
health
hospital and clinic
politics (general)
virus diseases
More than 104,000 wait to see health specialist in Qld
Queensland hospitals are struggling to meet demand with more than 104,000 outpatients waiting longer than the clinically recommended time to see a specialist.
Regulator backs rapid tests as COVID-19 cases fall
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has issued a statement in defence of rapid antigen tests as COVID-19 caseloads continue to fall across the country.
Virus cases in post-Christmas decline
The number of people testing positive for COVID-19 went into steep decline in the weeks following Christmas after peaking just before the holiday break.
Chinese state media plays down COVID wave
China has rejected criticism of its COVID data and its state media has called other nation's new curbs on Chinese traveller's "discriminatory".
Virus cases dip in lead-up to Christmas
The latest peaks of COVID-19 cases are falling around the country, but one state is battling a surge in infections.
COVID case rise slows, peak on horizon
Weekly COVID-19 infections have risen six per cent in the past week as new data shows Australia experienced higher-than-average deaths from January to August.
Tas lifts COVID alert level as cases rise
Tasmania Health has raised the state's COVID-19 risk level to moderate after a 30 per cent lift in cases the past week and a spike in hospitalisations.
Cruise ship with virus outbreak docks
The Majestic Princess cruise ship has docked in Sydney with about 800 COVID-19 positive people aboard and will head to Melbourne on Saturday afternoon.
Jab plea amid ‘rapid’ Qld virus increase
Queensland's COVID-19 wave could peak before Christmas as case numbers among aged care residents double in a week.
New COVID wave is coming, experts warn
A fresh wave of COVID-19 cases could hit Australia in coming weeks after health authorities detected vaccine-resistant variants.
Queensland scales back pandemic powers
Queensland has stripped pandemic powers from its chief health officer to shut the state's borders or mandate COVID-19 vaccinations for the general public.
Australian virus response ‘was over-reach’
Australia has been warned against the perils of over-reach when dealing with future health crises, following a critical review of the response to COVID-19.
Mandatory COVID isolation rules scrapped
National cabinet has agreed to end mandatory five-day isolation periods for people with COVID-19 - unless they work in hospitals or aged care.
Major step to booster for young children
The Therapeutic Goods Administration has provisionally approved the Pfizer booster for children aged five to 11, with a decision pending on its rollout.