National News

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has urged residents not to search for lockdown loopholes as the state recorded its sixth consecutive day of a triple-digit rise in coronavirus cases.

LATEST DEVELOPMENTS* Victoria has recorded 288 new coronavirus cases, the biggest daily increase of any state since the pandemic began, with over 1,000 active infections up from 60 last month.

Two recent COVID-19 cases have been linked to a pub in southwest Sydney, with the venue temporarily closed and authorities searching for a third person who could have spread the infection.

Australians wanting to return home from overseas will have to wait longer after the government halved international flight arrivals to ease pressure on hotel quarantine systems.

Victoria has recorded Australia's biggest daily increase in coronavirus cases, as the state's chief health officer seeks to reassure people the outbreak isn't spiralling out of control.

Thousands of travellers are pouring into Queensland by road and plane as the state flings open its borders to everyone but those coming from Victoria.

The World Health Organisation is acknowledging the possibility that COVID-19 might be spread in the air under certain conditions - after more than 200 scientists urged the agency to do so.

Residents of one Melbourne public housing tower will remain in hard lockdown for another nine days, with fears a quarter of them could have coronavirus.

States are ramping up coronavirus testing and strict border controls as they desperately try to stop Melbourne's outbreak infecting the nation.

Jetstar has refused to cop the blame for allowing passengers from coronavirus-hit Melbourne to disembark in Sydney without COVID-19 health checks.