NSW man jailed for Tas quarantine breach
A NSW man has been sentenced to five months' jail for absconding from hotel quarantine in Hobart and sparking a three-day lockdown across southern Tasmania.
virus diseases
ACT Omicron rise triggers return of masks
An indoor mask mandate will be reintroduced in the ACT following a rise in Omicron COVID-19 cases in Canberra.
Push to tighten COVID rules as cases surge
Speeding up booster shots, making full vaccination contingent on three COVID-19 jabs and mask mandates are being considered to help curb virus infections.
ACT records 16 new COVID-19 cases
Long lines with wait times of up to several hours have been reported at ACT COVID-19 testing clinics, as 16 new infections were reported.
Tasmania reports four new cases, 14 active
Tasmania has recorded four new coronavirus infections, taking the total number of active cases since the island state reopened its borders to 14.
New jab definition, mask mandate on cards
Prime Minister Scott Morrison will discuss with premiers and chief ministers time frames for booster shots and masks mandates to curb COVID-19's spread.
Vic has 1245 COVID-19 cases, six deaths
Victoria has reported 1245 new COVID-19 cases and six deaths, after more than a dozen testing sites reached capacity due to a surge in pre-Christmas demand.
Qld has 49 local cases, masks recommended
The Queensland government has recommended wearing face masks indoors and urged people to get boosters after recording 49 new locally acquired cases of COVID-19.
Leaders to meet to discuss Omicron threat
An emergency national cabinet meeting will be held on Wednesday amid rising numbers of COVID-19 cases linked to the Omicron variant.
Qld officer assaulted over mask mandate
A woman has been arrested for allegedly biting an officer after refusing to wear a mask, but police say overall compliance has been good around the state.
Will 2022 be better? Aussie outlook mixed
Surveys charting Australia's optimism, or lack thereof, ahead of 2022 have returned mixed results as the Omicron strain of COVID-19 takes hold.
Warning sounded on Omicron assumptions
Experts have warned Australian authorities against relying too much on the possibility of the Omicron COVID-19 strain causing milder illness.
Queensland records 42 new COVID-19 cases
Chief Health Officer John Gerrard says most Queenslanders may be exposed to COVID-19 within weeks after the number of daily infections doubled in 48 hours.
Return to COVID lockdowns unlikely: Hunt
Australians have been urged to don face masks and stick to outdoor gatherings as COVID-19 infections surge in the lead-up to Christmas.
Aussies urged to take COVID-19 precautions
People have been urged to take COVID-19 precautions such as donning face masks and gathering outdoors to slow the spread of Omicron.
Australia records 4000 cases in a day
Australia has recorded more than 4000 coronavirus cases in a single day for the first time.
Vaccine supply enough to meet booster rise
The national supply of COVID-19 vaccine is more than enough to meet demand for boosters and jabs for children, health officials say.
Qld posts 24 local cases, braces for more
Workers and visitors to hospitals and other health facilities are among 24 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases detected in Queensland.
State parochialism spreads in COVID-19 era
State parochialism has flared after state border closures and COVID-19 restrictions literally and metaphorically divided Australians, experts say.
Qld mandates masks after 16 COVID cases
Queensland will mandate face masks in essential retailers and on public transport to stop the spread of COVID-19 ahead of Christmas.
Qld mandates masks with 16 COVID-19 cases
Queensland has recorded another 16 COVID-19 cases that were infectious in the community and will mandate face masks in essential retailers and public transport.
NT outbreak grows, Tennant Creek lockdown
The Northern Territory has detected eight new COVID-19 infections, as a community outbreak forces the lockdown of remote Tennant Creek.
Boosters not brought forward despite surge
The gap between second and third COVID-19 vaccine doses will remain at five months, with some flexibility given to people nearing their time for a booster shot.
Free tests call as virus infections rise
Infectious disease expert Mary-Louise McLaws has called for free rapid antigen tests to ensure people don't inadvertently spread the virus over the holidays.
Vic has 1510 new COVID-19 cases, 7 deaths
Victoria has recorded another 1510 COVID-19 cases and seven deaths, as Premier Daniel Andrews leaves isolation after testing negative for the virus.
NSW’s 2213 new cases threaten Christmas
NSW is recording more COVID-19 cases than ever before - with more than 2200 reported on Friday as the Omicron variant drives a huge outbreak in Newcastle.
Pakistan/WI ODI series ditched over COVID
The West Indies limited-overs tour to Pakistan has been cut short after the number of COVID-19 cases in the visiting squad rocketed to nine.
Israel keeps borders closed to tourists
Israel is extending a ban on tourist entries to the end of December in a bid to prevent the Omicron variant from spreading.
France tightens rules for UK travellers
A steep rise in COVID infections in the UK has prompted France to beef up controls on travellers arriving from Britain.
Dozens catch COVID-19 at Sydney party
NSW Health has issued an alert about a Taylor Swift-themed party at Sydney's Metro Theatre, with at least 97 people catching COVID-19 at the event.
SA reports 24 new COVID-19 cases
South Australia has reported another 24 COVID-19 infections and confirmed there have been six cases of the Omicron variant in the state.