26 new cases for Victoria as alerts issued for Prahran Market

The percentage of daily Victorian COVID-19 cases who were completely in isolation while infectious continues to rise, but so too does the number of new infections.

Victoria's Minister for Health Martin Foley has reported today that there were 26 new cases detected yesterday, of whom only two were in the community whilst infectious.

"One of the exposures was limited to a single transaction at a petrol station in regional Victoria, as they made their way back to Metropolitan Melbourne to isolate, and that person did an outstanding job in following all the required measures to minimise transmission," Foley says.

The other case relates to the AAMI Park cohort and was in the community for one day in the infectious period, visiting the Prahran Market and its Market Lane Coffee location last Saturday morning between 9:40am and 11:15am.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) reports the customer visited a number of traders including Pete n Rosie's Deli, Q le Baker, Prahran Seafoods, John Cester's Poultry and Game, Gary's Quality Meats, Reliable Fruit and Veg and Market Lane Coffee.

"These two locations have now been listed as tier one sites this morning, and we use this opportunity to reach out to the over 900 people who checked into those venues under the QR code system," the minister says, noting how this case shows how important it is for contacts linked to exposure sites to stick to the 14-day isolation period.

"There is every chance that many of those 19,000 people who we are monitoring as primary close contacts can turn positive."

There has been no change on yesterday regarding the number of people in hospital (5) or in intensive care (1), and the total cases reported over the past 10 days has now reached 133 in relation to this outbreak as a result of what Foley described as "the Sydney incursion of COVID-19".

Foley highlights a positive development in terms of the successful isolation of positive cases.

"Three days ago, some 6 per cent of the daily cases were isolating for the entirety of their infectious period. Yesterday that was 73 per cent and today it's 92 per cent," he says.

"This shows that our combination of measures that have [been] put together in our public health toolkit are starting to work in the direction that we want, giving our contact tracers the time and the resources and the opportunity they need to get ahead of this virus."

Updated at 12:07pm AEST on 22 July 2021.

QLD to close border to all of NSW, mask rules extended by a week

Queensland Deputy Premier Steven Miles has announced the state will be closing its borders to all of NSW from 1am tomorrow to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread, although a border bubble for essential travel will be established.

The border bubble will extend south to the Clarence Valley and west to the South Australian border, while Miles noted Coffs Harbour had not been included due to Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young's concerns for that region.

"There will be a border zone in place for people who live and need to travel within the community around the border," Miles said.

"It will allow people to move around those communities for essential reasons; all of the things that you would expect like to go to school, to go to work, for healthcare or to care for others."

The announcement coincides with confirmation that various restrictions will be eased within Queensland from 6am tomorrow, with the number of visitors allowed to visit the home rising from 30 to 100, a lifting of gathering limits in outdoor public spaces, and a relaxing of the density rule in indoor premises from 4 square metres to 2 square metres.

Wedding and funeral limits will also rise to 200 people.

As it's been less than 14 days since Queensland had someone infectious while in the community, the Chief Health Officer has asked people to continue wearing masks for another seven days.

"Masks have proven effective at allowing us to mitigate the risk of those infectious cases, so continue to wear masks at all times when you're around others, except for when you're seated and eating or drinking, or strenuous exercise," Miles said.

He said lockdowns currently in place in Victoria, South Australia and Greater Sydney, which have been reciprocated by Queensland, have meant the state's border is effectively closed to travellers from those areas already.

"But in order to be able to ease these restrictions I've outlined, we need to close the border to the rest of NSW. That will mirror the arrangements currently in place in Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania.

"We really want to be able to ease these restrictions safely but we can't ease here without greater assurance, greater protection from the risk of people travelling from other states with the virus into our state."

However, while some restrictions will be eased in Queensland, authorities have learned from recent experiences in Victoria at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and AAMI Park about how easily the Delta strain can be spread at sporting events.

In light of this, stadiums with greater than 20,000 seats will only be allowed to operate at 75 per cent seating capacity and there will also be more stringent requirements around mask-wearing even while seating, except for when patrons are eating or drinking.

Updated at 11:15am AEST on 22 July 2021.

SA cases jump to 12 as winery cluster detected

South Australian Premier Steven Marshall called an unusual second press conference this afternoon following an uptick in COVID-19 cases in relation to a Yattalunga winery and The Greek on Halifax restaurant that was listed earlier as an exposure site.

"It was only a few hours ago that we reported to you that there were just six cases linked to this cluster. Unfortunately we have new cases to report and concerning new exposure sites in addition to that. In fact, we go from six cases in South Australia to 12," the SA Premier said.

Five of the new cases are linked to Tenafeate Creek Wines in Yattalunga which is believed to have been an exposure site on Sunday afternoon from 1:45-4:30pm, and one additional case linked to the Greek restaurant in the Adelaide CBD.

However, of most concern to health authorities is one of the new exposure sites - the Gawler and District College B-12 school.

"We know that one of the people who is now infected was at this site yesterday, so we will be getting in contact with every person that we can who was at these exposure sites," Marshall said.

"This is exactly and precisely why we needed to move South Australia into a lockdown situation.

"This Delta variant is extraordinarily transmissible and this disease thrives on indecision. We've gone hard, we've gone early, we've gone with the cooperation of the people of South Australia, and we need that cooperation to continue into the future."

Click here for a list of exposure sites.

Updated at 4:51pm ACDT on 21 July 2021.

SA announces $100 million business support package as state enters day one of lockdown

With South Australian residents today waking up to their first day of a snap lockdown, the state's treasurer has unveiled a $100 million business support package that will see eligible small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) receive an emergency cash grant.

It comes as SA records just one new locally acquired case of COVID-19 today which is linked to The Greek on Halifax restaurant and follows a record day of vaccinations in state clinics.

Tens of thousands of SMEs are expected to benefit from the $3,000 emergency cash grant to help businesses survive the seven-day lockdown and pay for operating costs like rent, power bills and raw material costs.

The package also includes a new $1,000 cash grant for eligible small businesses who don't employ staff, for example non-employing sole traders.

"This is an immediate lifeline for small and medium businesses that are the lifeblood of our community and underpin our economy," SA Treasurer Rob Lucas said.

"We know this is an incredibly difficult time for many employers and their staff, which is why we are doing everything in our power to help as many businesses as possible get through to the other side of this short lockdown.

"The $3,000 grants will provide an immediate cash injection to eligible businesses affected by the restrictions, by improving cash flow and helping cover costs such as commercial rent and utility bills or supplier fees for raw materials."

The scheme is modelled on similar support packages available interstate, with the grants to apply to businesses with a payroll of less than $10 million, with an annual turnover of $75,0000 or more (in 2020-21 or 2019-20) and whose turnover is reduced by at least 30 per cent over the duration of the lockdown.

Lucas said the State Government would consider the potential for further support if the lockdown is extended beyond 27 July.

"While we have no information to suggest that will be the case, we will consider what further assistance might be provided to businesses if the lockdown is extended beyond the current seven days," Lucas said.

In addition, the state government is going to provide income support payments of up to $600 to eligible workers in regional SA who live or work outside of the Commonwealth-declared 'hotspot' local government areas (LGAs) and therefore are not entitled to Federal Government's COVID disaster payments.

The Commonwealth's COVID-19 disaster payment scheme provides $375 per week for those workers who have lost between 8 and less than 20 hours' work, or have lost a full day of work, and $600 per week if a person has lost over 20 hours' work.

Lucas said the State Government will match the income support payments for workers outside the declared Commonwealth 'Hotspots' of Adelaide metro, Hills and Gawler areas.

"Our commitment will ensure South Australian workers whose hours are affected by the current lockdown will be supported, regardless of whether they work in Mitcham or Mount Gambier, Norwood or Nuriootpa, West Beach or Whyalla," Lucas said.

Information about the support package will be available on the SA Treasury website today and to register interest in business support cash grants businesses are encouraged to email [email protected].

Updated at 12.12pm AEST on 21 July 2021.

Victoria unveils $283m business support boost as daily cases rise to 22

The Victorian Government has announced a $282.5 million injection for its business support package, taking the total stimulus to $484.3 million in response to the current lockdown for the entire state.

Eligible Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund recipients will receive $4,200, taking the total payment to $7,200, while Business Costs Assistance Program recipients will receive $2,800, increasing the total grant to $4,800.

As flagged last week, businesses that registered for these schemes in the previous lockdown will receive automatic payments with $180 million already paid out over the past two days to more than 86,000 Victorian businesses.

Minister for Industry, Support and Recovery, Martin Pakula also welcomes new applications from businesses that either didn't register for support payments last time or were ineligible.

There has also been a lot of discussion about microbusinesses that are not registered for GST and turn over under $75,000 annually.

"I should make the point that at any level if you're registered for GST, whether you turn over $75,000 or not, you're eligible to apply for the business support payments," Pakula says.

"But discussions between our officials and Commonwealth officials over the last couple of days have made it clear that the vast majority of those microbusinesses who've lost income or lost hours will be eligible for the COVID-19 disaster payment of either $600 per seven-day period if they've lost over 20 hours of work, or $375 if it's between eight and 20, just as they were for JobKeeper."

"I'd make the point that those outside the Commonwealth-declared hotspots, those funds will be funded by the State Government."

Business Victoria will be setting up a 'concierge service' to help businesses apply for funds, with new rounds of funding as well for public events and event suppliers, sports clubs and Alpine operators.

Eligible public events and public events suppliers affected by the lockdown will receive support of up to $25,000 and $10,000 respectively through an extension of the Impacted Public Events Support Program.

A new round of the Live Performance Support programs, with funding of up to $7,000 for presenters and up to $2,000 for suppliers, has also been confirmed.

Alpine hospitality, retail, accommodation and experience operators that were eligible for grants of up to $15,000 will receive an extra $3,000 through a fresh $1.2 million injection, on top of any entitlements under the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund or Business Costs Assistance Program.

"We recognise that the snow season is a relatively short period of time, and so any impact during that season has a proportionately greater impact on businesses in the alpine regions because their earning capacity is not year-long," he says.

Combined with supports given during the May-June lockdown, today's injection takes the total Victorian Government stimulus up to just under $1 billion over the past three months, and $7 billion since the pandemic began.

Victorian COVID update

The state reported 22 new COVID-19 cases overnight, representing an increase on the 13 reported yesterday, but as was the case in NSW today this was partly due to record testing numbers of almost 60,000.

"Yesterday almost 60,000 people right across the state braved some pretty inclement weather to return the highest single day's worth of tests that we have seen in the 18 months of this pandemic," says Victoria's Minister for Health Martin Foley.

"And 98.8 per cent of those results are being turned around by the next day."

Foley reports 73 per cent of the new daily cases have been fully isolated during their period of infectivity.

"What this means is that our contact tracers and our restrictions are working in tandem as part of the public health team's toolkit to beat this virus back and to beat this outbreak back step by step, and that should give us confidence that this is a process that is working," he says.

"And it is working because millions of Victorians are backing it in and doing the right thing."

Of the new cases, five are connected to Trinity Grammar, five are linked to the restaurant Ms. Frankie, three are connected the pub Young & Jacksons, three are related to St Patricks Primary School Murrumbeena, two are linked to AAMI Park (both patrons seated within two or three rows of the index case), two are linked to Bacchus Marsh Grammar, one is a worker from the West Gate Tunnel, and one is a family member of an unlinked case from the northern suburbs.

"Half of the new cases today were household contacts of primary close contacts," he says.

There are now more than 18,000 primary close contacts in Victoria, and combined with secondary close contacts the number rises to 28,000.

Click here for a list of exposure sites in Victoria.

Updated at 12:44pm AEST on 21 July 2021.

NSW reports 110 new cases after record testing day

"Had we not gone into lockdown a few weeks ago, the 110 number today would undoubtedly have been thousands and thousands," says NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Daily COVID-19 cases in NSW rose to 110 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, which Premier Gladys Berejiklian admits is a high number but one that reflects a record 84,000 daily tests.

"That is the highest number New South Wales has ever had in a single day, and I especially want to thank the community of Fairfield for coming out in large numbers, but also to everybody who put themselves forward for testing," she says.

"This is a great result and one that we need to keep up during the next few weeks to make sure we capture all the cases that are out in the community.

"What is concerning, however, is that 43 people in that in those number of cases were infectious in the community."

She emphasises those 43 people haven't necessarily done the wrong thing, but what the figure shows is how infectious and contagious the virus is.

"It means that every time you have contact with another human being, you risk either getting the virus or passing the virus on," Berejiklian adds.

"Our vaccination rates are so low and yet we've done really well in stemming the growth of the virus. What we need to do now is quash it," she says, noting safety is key at the moment to give the state "economic freedom down the track".

Of the latest locally acquired cases, 54 are linked to a known case or cluster, 40 are household contacts and 14 are close contacts,  and the source of infection for 56 cases is under investigation.

Dr Jeremy McAnulty from the NSW Ministry of Health says there are 106 people with COVID admitted to hospital in the state, of whom 23 are in intensive care with 11 requiring ventilators.

While the focus of cases has been in Southwestern Sydney, McAnulty observes an increase in Western Sydney and elsewhere such as Belrose, Haymarket and Wollongong.

Deputy Premier John Barilaro has given further details in relation to the seven-day lockdown announced last night for the Central West NSW towns of Orange, Blayney and Cabonne.

"On the advice of course of NSW Health, the NSW Government made a decision for the first time to act fast, hard and local, and lock down three local government areas in regional and rural New South Wales," Barilaro says.

"Those stay home orders are that you can't leave home unless for work or education, for medical care, of course for shopping for groceries or for goods and services, and for exercise.

"We also accept that hospitality will now close unless offering takeaway, and this decision was made to make sure we protect those communities."

McAnulty explains a truck driver who unknowingly had COVID-19 travelled from Sydney to Blayney for authorised work, completing four overnight trips from Western Sydney and the regional town between 13-17 July while potentially infectious.

A close contact from the Nestle Purina petcare factory has since tested positive to COVID and as a result all other staff at the factory are being tested and are in isolation. Other drivers who have transported goods to and from the factory are also being tested.

Click here for a list of NSW exposure sites.

Updated at 11:38am AEST on 21 July 2021.

NSW towns Orange, Blayney and Cabonne sent into lockdown overnight

The Central West NSW towns of Orange, Blayney and Cabonne were placed into a seven-day lockdown overnight after a COVID-19 infected truck driver reportedly visited the area last week.

Residents of the three shire council areas must now stay at home until 12.01am Wednesday 28 July unless it is for one of five essential reasons:

• Shopping for food or other essential goods and services
• Medical care or compassionate needs (including receiving a COVID-19 vaccine)
• Exercise outdoors in groups of two or fewer
• Work or tertiary education (where you cannot work or study from home)
• To attend a wedding or a funeral (but only during a grace period, which ends at 12.01am on Friday 23 July. After this date funerals will be limited to 10 people).

Schools will remain open under these restrictions and all staff and students are expected to still attend school.

In addition, masks must be worn in all indoor settings and outdoors where it is not possible to socially distance from others.

"The government and health experts will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updated information and advice," says NSW Health.

"We understand this is a difficult time for the community and appreciate their ongoing patience.

"It is vital people continue to come forward for testing to help us find any COVID-19 cases in the community."

Updated at 9.00am AEST on 21 July 2021.

Tasmania locks out South Australians over COVID outbreak concerns

With South Australia recording two new cases of COVID-19 today Tasmania will close its borders to the state which will plunge into lockdown tonight, with returning residents exempt from the new rules.

Since 4pm today South Australia has been declared 'High Risk Level 2', meaning South Australians are not be permitted to travel to the Apple Isle.

In addition, Tasmania's Premier Peter Gutwein has asked anyone in his state who has been in SA from 8 July to immediately check the list of high-risk premises in Adelaide.

"Anyone who has been in one of those premises at the date and time specified should immediately self-isolate and contact the public health hotline on 1800 671 738 for further advice," Gutwein said.

Gutwein also announced today the state's borders would be shut to Victoria for at least another seven days.

This extension of border controls coincides with Victoria's plans to exit lockdown next week on Tuesday, 27 July.

Updated at 4pm AEST on 20 July 2021.

Victorian lockdown prolonged a further seven days as 13 new cases reported

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has confirmed the state will start the process of opening up from its current lockdown at midnight on Tuesday, 27 July, emphasising contact tracers need more time to get on top of the outbreak that rose by 13 new cases overnight.

Four of these new cases were already reported yesterday, and nine of them were in isolation for 100 per cent of their infectious periods - a fact the Premier describes as "very promising" and that he hopes will develop as a trend.

"That's really how we will know that we bought this under control when we don't have that residual risk of it running again - of it flaring up once we open up," the Premier says.

The latest numbers take the state's total number of active cases to 85 with 18,000 primary close contacts identified, a third of whom are in regional Victoria.

"It's too early today to lift restrictions. We've seen significant and standalone outbreaks in regional areas in Phillip Island, Bacchus Marsh, Barwon Heads and as far away as Mildura," says Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton.

"Around a third of all our primary close contacts are in regional Victoria, right across regional Victoria. This outbreak has touched the whole state, and that was in a way that the Delta and Kappa outbreaks didn't do back in May and June," he says.

"Much of that is due to the super spreading events early on in this outbreak that took place in the MCC members' reserve for the Geelong-Carlton game; something that brings Victorians from far and wide and back home far and wide across Victoria."

Travel to Victoria using Red Zone Permits will be temporarily paused in a bid to run the Delta variant to the ground.

"For four weeks we've been saying to people from Victoria who are in Sydney and now in broader NSW - not the bubble but beyond that border bubble - we've been saying come home because the rules may change. Well, the rules are changing today," he says.

"The only people that will get a permit to travel from a red zone into Victoria are those who are authorised workers, and those who apply for and get a compassionate exemption to the new rules I'm announcing today.

"There will be no further as-of-right red zone travel for the next two weeks. What I cannot have happen is is hundreds and hundreds of people who were warned weeks ago to get back here who have not done that, while the situation further deteriorates and we see more and more cases...we get this outbreak under control and then we finish up with another incursion brewing," he says, clarifying there will be compassionate exemptions.

More than 49,000 people came forward for testing yesterday, and the Premier has confirmed 90,000 businesses have received support payments.

Updated at 11:49am AEST on 20 July 2021.

SA in seven-day lockdown from 6pm today as cluster grows to five cases

With South Australia this morning recording two new cases of COVID-19, bringing the cluster to five infections in total, and confirmation that the outbreak is the Delta strain, the state will go into lockdown from 6pm today.

The restrictions will last for seven days, and South Australians will only have five reasons to leave the house:

• Care and compassionate reasons like taking care of a loved one
• Essential work
• Purchase of essential goods like food and medication
• Medical reasons including vaccination and COVID-19 testing
• For exercise, with the limitation that only people from the same household can exercise together.

Schools will be closed from tomorrow, with teachers granted 24 hours to transition to online learning and elective surgeries will be paused.

Restaurants will be forced to operate as takeaway only, and exercise from home must be limtied to 90 minutes per day and within 2.5km of the home.

"We hate putting these restrictions in place, but we have just one chance to get this right," SA Premier Steven Marshall said.

"This is moving very quickly. We first got a positive confirmation at 2.30am yesterday, and we're moving as quickly as we can to stop the spread of this particular cluster.

"This is highly transmissable, we've seen this in Victoria. It's been moving extraordinarily quickly that we don't want this moving right across this state."

One of the cases is linked to a close contact from yesterday's Modbury case, with the fifth case dining at The Greek on Halifax Street in the CBD.

As such, anyone who attended the restaurant on Saturday 17 July from 6-10pm, including everyone in their household, must quarantine for 14 days.

In terms of support for businesses impacted by the seven-day lockdown, Marshall says he expects the same levels of assistance from the Commonwealth Government as what has been extended to New South Wales and Victoria.

However, because the support payments to affected workers are not activated until the second week of a lockdown, the SA Treasurer is looking at more immediate support for businesses and will have an announcement within the next 24 hours as to what that might entail.

"I spoke to the Prime Minister today, he's assured me we'll get the same deal as other states," Marshall said.

"I'm hopeful we can actually stop this dead in the water."

Updated at 11.23am AEST on 20 July 2021.

78 new cases for NSW as Premier applauds "enormous benefit" of frequent Fairfield community testing

NSW reported 78 new cases of COVID-19 in the 24 hours to 8pm last night including 27 who were infectious while in the community, as Premier Gladys Berejiklian reiterates hopes that difficult lockdown decisions made will start to produce lower numbers by the end of this week.

The Premier says workplaces and households continue to be the main sources of infection, both in key areas concern in Southwest Sydney but across Greater Sydney where new daily cases continue to trickle in.

"No matter what you do and where you live, if you must go to work please make sure you think about your situation," the Premier said.

"If you have symptoms, you shouldn't be going to work.

"And if you live in the Fairfield area in particular, please make sure you get tested every three days before you go to work. That is really providing enormous benefits to us in capturing cases which otherwise may have been undetected. And we're very, very grateful that that's occurring."

Berejiklian added 6,000 businesses have had their applications processed for support to date.

Updated at 11:21am AEST on 20 July 2021.

QLD records new COVID case who was in Sunshine Coast community while infectious

A woman in her 20s who returned home to Queensland from her studies in Victoria has tested positive to COVID-19, putting various venues and transport routes on alert across the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Cairns and Mareeba.

From Queensland Health's indications, the woman who has received two Pfizer vaccine doses appears to have done everything by the book including mask wearing on public transport and in an Uber, as well as check-ins and following testing recommendations from Victorian authorities via mobile phone.

The individual flew from Melbourne to Maroochydoore on 13 July, staying with friends on the Sunshine Coast until 16 July before catching Virgin Australia flight VA791 on that day to Cairns, where a relative picked her up and took her home to Mareeba where she has been in isolation.

"She received an SMS from Victorian health authorities on the 15th of July because she had been at the Young & Jacksons pub on the 10th of July and that was declared a tier one site by Victoria," QLD Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young told a press conference this morning.

"So she then went and immediately got herself tested, and she tested negative. 

"She then went out and about in Maroochydoore, so on the Thursday she was staying with friends in Maroochydoore and then that afternoon from 3:55pm to 4:15pm she went to the Sunshine Coast Plaza, and specifically visited the Universal Store there. We're just getting additional details now of what other movements she had."

Of particular concern however is the Riceboi restaurant in Mooloolabah where she spent time from 6:45pm to 8pm on that night, the 15 July.

Dr Young has called on anyone who attended that restaurant during those times to immediately come forward to get tested and isolate until contacted by QLD Health.

"The following day on Friday the 16th of July she travelled via Uber at 12:15pm to Maroochydoore Station, then caught the 615 bus to Landsborough Station, then went by train from Landsborough to Eagle Junction, then caught the AirTrain to Brisbane Airport," Dr Young says.

After flying to Far North Queensland, the woman remained at home in Mareeba in isolation until she went to the Atherton fever clinic at 10:30am on Sunday, 18 July.

"She did have some symptoms, so we've deemed her infectious period back to the 15th of July. That's when she had a negative test as well in Maroochydore."

Dr Young notes the woman is fully vaccinated after receiving her second dose on 10 May.

"That is really good, which does reduce the risk but it doesn't remove the risk," she says.

"She was wearing a mask, and of course we require anyone in the Sunshine Coast - who has been part of 11 LGAs (local government areas) in Southeast Queensland to be wearing masks at the moment, and she wore a mask on the plane, and we will of course be contact tracing everyone on that flight - VA791."

Deputy Premier Steven Miles emphasises how the reduced density requirements at hospitality venues and the wearing of masks will have reduced further community transmission, but it's absolutely critical that anyone who has travelled to Victoria, New South Wales or South Australia monitor state health websites for venues of concern.

"That's where the risk of community transmission here in Queensland is. It is from Queenslanders and people coming to Queensland who have been at those locations," he says.

He notes the South Australian Government has implemented restrictions, and Queensland will be reciprocating that as is done with all hotspot arrangements.

Updated at 10:32am AEST on 20 July 2021.

SA to implement state-wide restrictions tonight as yet another case confirmed

UPDATE 20 JULY: South Australia will go into a seven-day lockdown from 6pm on 20 July. Read more here.

Premier Steven Marshall has announced that the daughter of the 81-year-old man who tested positive for COVID-19 today has also returned a positive result, escalating concerns and prompting significant restrictions in the state.

"The positive result for the daughter is very significantly increasing our anxiety at the moment," he says.

Level 4 restrictions will be put in place as of midnight tonight, setting limits of 1 person per 4 square meters. Private activities have been capped at 10 people. 

People will be allowed to dine outdoors, but food and beverages can only be consumed when seated.

Any form of non-essential retail will be closed. Pharmacies, grocery stores, dry cleaners, newsagents and post offices will remain open.

Masks will be necessary for high risk settings, including indoor spaces where physical distance cannot be maintained, and public transport.

"We're very concerned about this situation, we are assuming it is the Delta variant. We can see what happens in other jurisdictions around the world where there are delays in putting restrictions in place. We don't want that in South Australia.

"Our focus right from day one has been to go hard and to go early and to minimise disruption to business," says the Premier.

Premier Marshall says there is no specific direction about working from home, although it is strongly encouraged. Authorities also want to limit mobility to regional SA, especially in the Riverland which is on alert given the new case reported over the border in Mildura, VIC.

All indoor fitness will be closed, along with bans on team or club contact sport.

Restrictions on dancing, singing and the use of shisha will also be implemented. 

To see the developing exposure sites in South Australia, click here. 

The restrictions will be reviewed on Friday, 23 July.

Updated at 5:02pm AEST on 19 July 2021.

SA on alert over new COVID-19 case

An 81-year-old man in South Australia has tested positive to COVID-19 at Modbury Hospital.

The man had previously travelled with his daughter to Argentina where he received one COVID-19 vaccination while overseas.

Upon arrival into Australia, he quarantined for two weeks in New South Wales. SA Chief Public Health Officer Nicola Spurrier says the man was quarantining both in a medi-hotel and hospital during this period due to his health.

She added the man suffered from a fall and was hospitalised for 10 days before entering South Australia on 8 July.

After suffering from symptoms over the weekend, he visited Modbury Hospital and returned a positive result at 2:30am today.

A total of 16 people have been identified as close contacts. His daughter and grandson returned a negative result.

The grandson normally attends Elizabeth Vale Primary School but it has been confirmed he did not attend during the holidays. The school will reopen tomorrow.

It is unknown whether the man's daughter has received any vaccination.

No lockdown has been announced, but further restrictions will be imposed. A risk assessment is currently being undertaken at the hospital.

The following locations are confirmed exposure sites:

• Modbury Commonwealth Bank
  Tuesday 13 July: 10:00am - 11:15am
  Wednesday 14 July: 10:30am - 12:15pm
   
• Aldi, St Agnes Shopping Centre
  Tuesday 13 July: 10:20am - 11:30am
   
• Hindmarsh Gaganis Brothers
  Friday 16 July: 1:00pm - 2:30pm
   
• The Golden Grove OPSM
  Saturday 17 July: 3:00pm - 4:45pm
   
• Golden Grove Village Shopping Centre
  Saturday 17 July: 3:00pm - 4:45pm
   
• The Grove Newsagency, Golden Grove Village Shopping Centre
  Saturday 17 July: 3:30pm - 4:45pm 
   
• Glenelg - Wigley Reserve
  Friday 16 July: 12:30pm - 1:15pm

Updated at 3:09pm AEST on 19 July 2021.

Victorian lockdown extended as primary close contacts grow to 15,800

The Victorian lockdown will not be lifted tomorrow night as many had hoped, as testing continues for thousands of close contacts while 13 new positive COVID-19 results take the total number of active cases in the state to 72.

Premier Daniel Andrews thanked the 55,000 Victorians who came forward for testing yesterday, but with more than 250 exposure sites stretching from "Phillip Island to the Mallee" as well as the first coronavirus case in Mildura since March last year, he is not taking any chances.

There are now 15,800 primary close contacts in connection to the current outbreak, including 3,000 linked to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), 1,800 connected to AAMI Park, 2,300 related to Trinity Grammar, 2,700 linked to Bacchus Marsh Grammar and 540 connected to the restaurant Ms. Frankie.

Tests or tests results are still pending for large percentages of these groups of people, from around 50 per cent who attended an AFL game at the MCG to 24 per cent remaining for the Bacchus Marsh school cohort.

"What we know with [the variant] Delta is an hour's like a day and a day's like a week in some ways," the Premier says.

"We see in Sydney how fast it's moving, and indeed right here. If it's smouldering, then it will run off again, it will take off again.

"Knowing what we know now, lockdown was the right course -  that was the right call at the right time. It was and remains very challenging but we will not be ready to lift this lockdown at midnight tomorrow night."

Andrews acknowledges it is frustrating not being able to tell the public exactly what the rules will be and what timeframe will exist after midnight tomorrow, but that will all depend on the interviews taking place over the course of today and conclusions reached by health experts tonight or tomorrow morning.

"The Chief Health Officer will provide advice to me and my senior colleagues," he says.

Updated at 12:12pm AEST on 19 July 2021.

98 new cases for NSW as effects of harsher lockdown yet to be seen

"We won't see the effect of the harsher restrictions for another four or five days, but I know they're there to be had if all of us stick together and work hard," says NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

NSW is yet to see the delayed impacts of stricter lockdowns announced over the weekend for Greater Sydney and its surrounding regions, with 98 new locally acquired COVID-19 cases reported to 8pm last night including 20 people who were infectious in the community for more than a day.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the state is "up to the task" of beating the virus, but greater awareness was needed in the community about asymptomatic transmission between households, particularly in Southwestern Sydney where two-thirds of cases were recorded.

"We're seeing so many cases of families going through distress because they're moving from household to household thinking they're doing the right thing, but unfortunately even when you don't have symptoms you might not know you're carrying the virus," the Premier said, adding health experts note the Delta virus makes you more likely to spread COVID-19 while asymptomatic.

She has also urged businesses and individuals affected by government decisions over the last few weeks or over the weekend to apply for immediate disaster payments on Services Australia or business support grants via Service NSW.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant says it is pleasing to see "the venues have been narrowed and that people appear to be taking the health advice about limiting the time spent anywhere, and also not going out when you're sick".

There are currently 82 COVID cases admitted to hospital in the state with 24 in intensive care.

Dr Chant listed several key testing sites within the current lockdown areas of Greater Sydney the Blue Mountains, Central Coast, Wollongong and Shellharbour local government areas (LGAs), although some were outside those areas including Coffs Harbour, Mittagong and Burradoo.

The police reported 201 infringements over the 24-hour period, including 121 in regional NSW.

Over the weekend the NSW Government announced a pause on construction activity for lockdown areas, along with restrictions on repairs, maintenance and cleaning except for health, safety or emergency reasons. 

The government has also mandated that most retail premises in the lockdown areas would be closed as of yesterday, except for retailers that provide the following products and services:

• supermarkets
• grocery stores (including butchers, bakeries, fruit and vegetable, seafood and other food retailers)
• kiosks and other small food and drink premises
• petrol stations
• liquor stores
• chemists providing health, medical, maternity and baby supplies
• banks and financial institutions
• hardware, building supplies
• landscaping material supplies
• agricultural and rural supplies
• pet supplies
• post offices and newsagents
• office supplies
• garden centres and plant nurseries
• vehicle hire premises, not including the premises at which vehicles are sold;
• shops that predominantly carry out repairs of mobile phones.

Updated at 11:42am AEST on 19 July 2021.

AMA urges NSW Government to order stricter lockdowns

The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has called on the NSW Government to review limits on how far people can travel from home and shut down all non-essential retail outlets and services until the COVID-19 Delta variant outbreak is under control.

AMA president Dr Omar Khorshid says the NSW Government cannot wait any longer.

"The prospect of a significant escalation of case numbers remains real, with regional areas at risk," Khorshid says.

"The latest COVID-19 infection numbers in Greater Sydney show while the virus is not escalating out of control, current restrictions are not strong enough to bring overall infection numbers down any time soon.

"Rising unlinked cases and people infectious in the community show we are not ahead of this outbreak. This means there is no end to the lockdown in sight and more needs to be done."

He says telling the community not to browse the shops is not enough.

"Allowing non-essential retail stores to remain open not only sends the wrong message to the public, but it also increases the risk of transmission. This is despite the reality that people can access many of the products online," the AMA president says.

"A range of non-essential workplaces also remain open, which we know from the Victorian experience last year needed to be closed or operated under strict limits in order for its outbreak to be brought under control.

"There is confusion about what is considered essential and non-essential, and the AMA believes it is time for NSW to follow the Victorian approach which gives a clear definition for the public and the business community."

Khorshid explains while the AMA appreciate just how hard things are for people living in Greater Sydney, more delay will simply make things much worse and impose a much bigger toll on the community.

"With the announcement of additional support for workers and businesses, there is no excuse for further hesitation or delay," he says.

NSW AMA president Dr Danielle McMullen says the AMA welcomed the NSW Government decision on 9 July to further tighten COVID-19 restrictions for people living in Greater Sydney, however, the data shows restrictions are not having the necessary impact.

"An alarming number of new cases each day appear to have been in the community throughout their infectious period - potentially spreading the virus to friends, family, colleagues and other people in the community," she says.

"With infection numbers remaining stubbornly high, Sydney is facing the increasing prospect of a long and protracted lockdown and the growing risk of the virus spreading to regional areas.

"At the moment when people need to leave home to exercise or go shopping, they are allowed to travel 10km, we believe 5km would be a more effective restriction."

Updated at 3:17pm AEST on 16 July 2021.

WA reinstates hard border with Victoria

Western Australia is following South Australia's lead today with the announcement of a hard border to Victoria that will be effective from midnight tonight, as the now locked-down state is set to join New South Wales and Queensland as a 'medium risk' jurisdiction.

The move represents a rapid escalation since Wednesday when WA lifted Victoria's status from 'very low risk' to 'low risk', which has allowed for arrivals so long as they undertake 14 days of self-quarantine and get tested for COVID-19 on arrival.

But as of 12:01am tomorrow nobody who has been in Victoria in the past two weeks will be allowed in, except for those who secure exemptions such as government officials, military personnel, members of the Commonwealth Parliament, state emergency coordinators and others.

The WA Government has urged residents who have been to Victoria recently to return home now and complete the two-week self-quarantine period.

Anyone who is in WA but has been to Victoria recently will also be asked to monitor the Victorian Health website for updated exposure locations.

"The escalating situation on the east coast is very concerning and our thoughts are with NSW and Victoria as they try to bring the growing Delta outbreak under control," says Acting Premier Stephen Dawson.

"WA's hard border is vital to protect Western Australians from the spread of COVID-19 from other jurisdictions.

"I appreciate these new border arrangements may cause inconvenience but we need to do everything necessary to protect the health of Western Australians."

The announcement comes as South Australia set up a hard border to its Victorian neighbours overnight, along with several other new restrictions for South Australians such as stricter density limits, mask requirements in indoor venues with more than 50 per cent of normal occupancy, and bans on dancing as well as the on-site purchase and consumption of shisha.

Updated at 12:45pm AWST on 16 July 2021.

Victoria slates business support package with automatic payments

The Victorian Government will provide more than $200 million in assistance to businesses affected by the current lockdown, including automatic payments to some 86,000 businesses that were already registered during the last lockdown.

"If you got a grant last time, you'll get a grant this time," Premier Daniel Andrews says.

The Premier expects those automated payments will be made almost certainly before the end of this lockdown or early next week.

"It will be then a matter for your bank and your financial institution as to whether that money flows to you overnight or over a longer period," he says.

"We're wasting no time with that. That sense of shared effort is part of the partnership with the Commonwealth Government," he adds, in reference to a support package funded by both the Federal and State Governments to provide COVID disaster support payments to affected workers. 

Minister for Industry, Support and Recovery, Martin Pakula, says the package follows on from the Business Cost Assistance Program and the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund from the last lockdown in June.

"That was a $460 million package of which we've now paid out $413-414 million to 86,000 businesses," Pakula says.

"Every one of those businesses will receive an automatic top-up - $3,000 under the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund and $2,000 under the Business Cost Assistance Program.

"The events package that we announced still has capacity in it, so any events that are affected over this weekend, they'll be eligible to make application under that package as well."

Caps will also be increased for the Alpine resorts support package.

"I should also make the point that there are some 22-odd thousand businesses whose applications are still being processed because more details are being sought. Not every application is as simple and as straightforward as every other," Minister Pakula clarifies.

"We would expect those all to be resolved early next week. But they revolve around things like ABN details not being consistent with what's on the record and zip codes and things of the like.

"Some of the more complex cases are still being resolved, so that will ultimately increase the number of businesses paid out under the last scheme and consequently will increase the number of businesses that receive an automatic payment under this scheme."

That a support package was incoming was already flagged in yesterday's lockdown announcement, and in the 24 hours to midnight there were 10 new cases, taking the number of active cases to 36 of which 24 have an established link to the Sydney outbreak.

There are currently 126 exposure sites listed in Victoria.

Updated at 12:47pm AEST on 16 July 2021.

NSW reports 97 new cases, with 29 infectious in the community

New South Wales has announced 97 new COVID-19 cases of community transmission, including 29 who were in infectious for all of the time they were in the community.

Approximately three quarters of all active cases are coming from the Fairfield local government area (LGA), where greater concern of COVID-19 transmission is ongoing.

In terms of new cases, two-thirds are in Southwestern Sydney, while numbers are still high in Southeastern and Western Sydney at 14 and 9 respectively. 

Premier Gladys Berejiklian has thanked the community for their swift action after a large turnout of people going to get tested.

"Yesterday we saw 77,500 tests which is outstanding, many of those from Southwest Sydney so thank you to community members there."

The Premier is also urging people to get tested if they know of anyone in their extended circle who has the virus, as authorities are seeing asymptomatic cases. 

In total, 75 COVID-19 patients are currently in hospital. Of those, 11 are aged under 35 and 18 people remain in ICU. Five are on ventilators. 

Updated at 11:44am AEST on 16 July 2021.

All new QLD cases have Delta strain, state to lock out Victorians tomorrow

The state of Victoria will be declared as a hotspot by Queensland authorities from 1am tomorrow, which means any Queenslanders returning home after that point will need to do 14 days of mandatory quarantine.

"It is a clear message to Queenslanders. Definitely do not go to New South Wales and do not go to Victoria during this period of time, but we do wish everyone the very best and we know that Victorians get on top of these issues very quickly," Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said.

The announcement comes as the state records just one new case of COVID-19 from the past 24 hours - the mother of the boy whose positive test was announced yesterday along with her partner.

It has also been confirmed that this Newport family has the same Delta strain that is found in Sydney.

"The people in Sydney, the health staff there, will be working through how he acquired the infection while he was in hotel quarantine down there," Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young said.

"He's come up here and he had very little exposure out in the community," she said.

Dr Young explained the boy's father had minimal exposure in the community, and his mother had virtually none because she went into hospital with her son when he was admitted. There have been 62 contacts identified in relation to this outbreak so far.

Out of the three cases that were reported yesterday, the airport worker has a strain of COVID-19 that is "four snips different" to the previous COVID-19 airport worker reported, meaning there hasn't been direct transmission between the two.

The Tarragindi woman is a supervisor at one of the boarding gates at the Brisbane International Airport, and CCTV footage has identified 23 close contacts and 22 casual contacts. It is expected there will be more.

Updated at 9:47am AEST on 16 July 2021.

PM confirms support payments for lockdown-hit Victorian workers

Update (11:30am AEST): The Victorian Department of Health has reported 10 new COVID-19 cases in the 24 hours to midnight, of whom four were already announced yesterday. All 10 cases are linked to the current outbreaks, taking the total number of active cases to 36.

While the Federal Government's temporary COVID disaster payments originally had a one-week minimum requirement for a lockdown, Victorians who lose work because of the current five-day lockdown will also be eligible for support.

The previous liquid asset test was scrapped last week, while payments were also increased on Tuesday, equating to $600 for those who have lost 20 hours of work or more, and $375 if they have lost less than 20 hours but had been working more than eight hours weekly.

The Commonwealth Government will pick up the tab for the areas declared hot spots by the chief medical officer - Greater Melbourne, Moorabool Shire, City of Greater Geelong, Borough of Queenscliff and Surf Coast Shire.

Meanwhile, the Victorian Government will make payments to lockdown-affected workers in the remainder of the state.

The agreement was struck last night between Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews, along with their respective treasurers.

"In addition, the Victorian Government has agreed to provide significant additional economic support to businesses, from day one of this lockdown period, satisfying the Commonwealth's cost sharing requirements for this arrangement," the Prime Minister said in a statement.

"Should the Victorian lockdown be extended, the additional features of the upgraded and revised economic support arrangements proposed by the Commonwealth will be activated by agreement.

"The additional support being announced today comes on top of the $45.4 billion of Commonwealth support that has already been delivered to Victoria."

Updated at 9:04am AEST on 16 July 2021.

Victoria to enter fifth lockdown from midnight tonight

"I am not prepared to avoid a five-day lockdown now only to find ourselves in a five-week or a five-month lockdown. That's why we made this very difficult decision," says Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews.

Victoria will enter its fifth lockdown since the pandemic began, with residents ordered to stay at home from midnight tonight as authorities scramble to trace contacts linked to two COVID-19 transmission chains.

The lockdown will last for five days until 11.59pm on Tuesday 20 July and is "essentially a repeat of the succesful strategy from just a couple of weeks ago", according to Premier Daniel Andrews.

"If you were authorised to work then, you will be authorised to work now. If you were closed then, you will be closed now," the Premier said.

"We're doing it the way we always do it."

The announcement confirms speculation this afternoon by the ABC and follows the detection of two new COVID-19 cases since an earlier press conference today - one linked to the AFL match between Carlton and Geelong at the MCG and the other to the Ariele Apartments block.

"We have 75 exposure sites, 1,500 primary close contacts and 5,000 secondary close contacts. That's how fast this moves - I want to assure all Victorians that our contact tracers, our public health experts, all the team are moving faster than they ever have," Premier Andrews said.

"But as fast as they're moving, they're just keeping pace with this virus. They're not getting in front of it, and unless they get in front of it we won't drive these numbers down. In fact, they will ultimately get away from us."

Support for businesses will be announced tomorrow, while parts of regional Victoria may be able to exit lockdowns earlier if test results show there is no community transmission.

Victorians are by now familiar with what's expected of them during a lockdown: the four reasons to leave the home are once again in place with the fifth if they go out to get vaccinated. People can only leave the home within a 5km radius, for the accepted reasons. 

Masks will be mandatory, there will be no visitors to homes, and public gatherings are off the cards.

Restaurants, pubs and cafes will be allowed to open for takeaway only, while essential retail can open such as supermarkets, food stores, petrol stations, banks, bottle shops and pharmacies. Other retail stores can provide click and collect.

Childcare and kindergartens will be open, approved professional sporting events will proceed with no crowds, and schools will move to remote learning except for vulnerable children and the children of authorised workers.

Hotels, clubs, TABs and casinos will be closed.

"You only get one chance to go hard and go fast," Andrews said.

"If you wait, if you hesitate, if you doubt, then you will always be looking back wishing you had done more earlier.

There are now 18 cases of COVID-19 active in Victoria, of which six are associated with the Ariele Apartments and three linked to the AFL game over the weekend.

"We've got an AFL football game where it appears people who did not knowingly spend any time together and don't know each other, have infected each other," Andrews said.

Updated at 5:17pm AEST on 15 July 2021.

New restrictions as SA locks out Victoria, ditches reopening with Southeast Queensland

"The deteriorating situation around the country is a major wake up call for South Australia," SA Premier Steven Marshall said.

South Australia will introduce a hard border to Victoria and ditch plans to reopen to southeast Queensland as new COVID-19 restrictions come into effect in the state from midnight tonight.

The new restrictions, which include reduced capacities in venues, the banning of dancing and more to come as the virus situation around the country has deteriorated further today.

The Premier put it simply: "We don't want lockdowns in South Australia."

As such, from midnight tonight, a hard border to Victoria will be put in place, meaning only returning South Aussies will be permitted to enter the state.

Returning residents however must complete two weeks of hotel quarantine on arrival if they have been in Greater Melbourne, Geelong or Bacchus Marsh. The 70km border bubble will be in place.

In addition, because Queensland today recorded three new local COVID-19 cases, plans to ease the hard border with the state's southeast have been thrown out for the time being.

As such, SA will maintain its hard border with Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Gold Coast, Logan, Redland, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and Somerset.

New local restrictions will come into effect for SA including:

• 50 per cent density arrangements at venues
• Masks must be worn indoors for venues that have more than 50 per cent capacity in place (like theatres)
• Masks must also be worn in correctional facilities, aged care homes, and when receiving personal care services
• Shisha will be banned
• Dancing and singing will be banned
• Private home gatherings restricted to 150 attendees

"We do all of these things to make sure we do not have a lockdown in South Australia," Marshall said.

"We need to take action, both in terms of our own border, but also internally in South Australia.

"We still have the lowest level restrictions in the country, that means if it comes to South Australia it can move very quickly. That's why we take this action."

Updated 4.01pm AEST on 15 July 2021.

NSW situation "stabilising" but too many still infectious in community, says Premier

With New South Wales reporting 65 new community cases of COVID-19 today, the Premier Gladys Berejiklian is pleased to see the situation "stabilising".

But with 28 of the new cases in the community while infectious, the Premier says that number is still too high and needs to hit zero for lockdown settings to ease.

"Whilst the case numbers are bouncing around, we are seeing a stabilisation - they are not growing exponentially - which tells us that the settings we have in place are having an impact," the Premier said.

"But the next challenge for us is to see a drop in the numbers of people infectious in the community.

"Our collective effort is having an impact, but we need to make sure that we do not let our guard down."

As such, both Berejiklian and the state's chief health officer Dr Kerry Chant have urged those in lockdown to stay home unless necessary and get tested if even the slightest of symptoms present.

While Dr Chant says those in Sydney should act as if COVID is "everywhere", she is particularly concerned about a case who was in the Emu Plains community while infectious as they are unlinked to any other known case.

"We're asking for anyone in Emu Plains to get tested, even for the most minor symptoms," Dr Chant said.

This case and a previously announced case in Emu Plains both visited the Lennox Village Shopping Centre, so anyone who was at the centre on Saturday 10 July from 3.45-5pm is a casual contact and anyone specifically at Woolworths between 4-4.45pm is a close contact.

Chemists, medical centres and supermarkets continue to be leading sources of transmission outside the home.  

In terms of the number of NSW COVID-19 hospitalisations, there are currently 19 people in the intensive care unit, of which five are ventilated.

Updated at 11.32am AEST on 15 July 2021.

Three new local COVID-19 cases in Southeast QLD, restrictions to remain another week

Plans to lift restrictions in Southeast Queensland have been postponed until next Friday after three new locally acquired cases of COVID-19 were reported overnight, including a financial services professional who was at work on the Sunshine Coast while infectious and a worker at Brisbane International Airport.

Chief Health Officer Dr Jeannette Young says she is very concerned about the airport worker, a Tarragindi woman in her 40s who is fully vaccinated and has followed rules to the letter.

"They've been working at the airport for three days while infectious. Nothing to do with them - they did absolutely the right thing and they were vaccinated, but we now have to see where they've been working, who they'd come into contact with," Dr Young said.

The individual worked at the airport on Sunday, 11 July, visited Woolworths Annerley the following morning before working at the airport again that day, followed by another shift on Tuesday, 13 July. On Wednesday morning she then went to Chemist Warehouse Annerely before getting tested, and used the QR code check-in on every occasion.

"There is a significant risk there, and any of those people could of course have gone home anywhere in Southeast Queensland, so we just need to maintain those restrictions for another seven days.

"I know they're difficult. I'm sure everyone's sick and tired of wearing masks - they're uncomfortable, but they're extremely important, and if everyone continues doing it, coming forward and getting tested, then hopefully we won't be required to go into a lockdown."

Restrictions such as required mask-wearing, private residence gathering limits, the four square metre rule indoors and the two square metre rule outdoors will remain for the local government areas (LGAs) of Brisbane, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, Logan City, Redlands, Sunshine Coast, Noosa, Somerset, Lockyer Valley, Scenic Rim and the Gold Coast.

These restrictions will ease however in the LGAs of Townsville and Palm Island at 6am tomorrow as planned.

The other two local cases reported in Queensland include a 12-year-old boy who completed hotel quarantine in Sydney with his mother after returning to Australia from the United States, and the boy's father.

The mother and son arrived in Brisbane on Qantas flight QF544 on 9 July, and live in the coastal suburb of Newport on the Redcliffe Peninsula.

"He became unwell that evening after they'd arrived back, and went and saw a doctor at the Aspley Medical Centre on the 13th of July, visited the adjoining pharmacy in that centre...that result came back late yesterday," Dr Young said.

"His mother has tested negative at this stage but she's now in hospital with her son, and the father has tested positive. He did not travel to the United States, but he did go to the airport to pick up his son and his partner.

"He works in a financial service firm, at the Rowland Financial Advisory service at Cotton Tree near Maroochydoore, and went to work yesterday while infectious, so we'll be contact tracing. At this stage we don't believe that the child, their mother or the father had been to any other exposure venues but of course we're going to be talking to all three at the moment to see where else they might have been."

Authorities hope to receive genome sequencing back later today so they will know where the boy acquired the virus.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said she was sorry to say it but these new cases mean restrictions must be continued while contact tracers get on top of the situation.

"We are seeing these little spot fires happening across the nation and we need to make sure we get this under control," she says.

"We've seen what's happened in Victoria overnight with additional cases, we've seen this son and parent come from Sydney out of hotel quarantine and testing positive, the international airport worker, so we've just got to get on top of these things quickly.

Palaszczuk also urged Queenslanders not to go to Victoria at this time, while Queenslanders already in the state have been asked to reconsider their travel and think about returning home.

"Of course, we've said to Queenslanders, reconsider your travel into New South Wales as well."

Dr Young noted there had been no COVID-19 detected in sewage tests in NSW outside of the lockdown area, which is an encouraging sign, but she still noted an outbreak could occur in the state at any time. 

Click here for a list of updated exposure sites.

Updated at 11:16am AEST on 15 July 2021.

Mask rules back in Victoria as exposure site list swells

UPDATE (12.30pm AEST 15 July): Two more COVID-19 cases have been detected in Victoria this morning - both uncovered following extensive testing of close contacts of the man who attended an AFL match at the MCG over the weekend.

Wearing a face mask is once again mandatory in Victoria as the state's list of exposure sites swells to more than 70 locations after 10 new COVID-19 cases were recorded yesterday, connected to two different chains of transmission - a family of four who had travelled back from Sydney and the removalist from the NSW capital.

The new rules, effective as of 12.01am today, mean wearing a mask will be mandatory in all indoor settings, including workplaces and secondary schools, and outdoors where social distancing is not possible.

VIC's list of exposure sites ballooned overnight and now include an AFL match at the MCG over the weekend, Campbellfield Plaza, a McDonalds in Craigieburn, multiple stores at the DFO in Uni Hill and many more.

The full list of public exposure sites can be found here.

Depending on the threat level, those who attended the sites may be required to self-isolate for 14 days and get tested for COVID-19.

One of the new cases is a teacher from Bacchus Marsh Grammar who attended a staff development day on Monday but was absent on Tuesday and Wednesday when students returned.

Updated at 9.14am AEST on 15 July 2021.

MCG listed as exposure site after Victoria records seven new COVID-19 cases

The city of Melbourne is once again on high alert after a new locally acquired case of COVID-19 attended an AFL match at the MCG over the weekend and an outbreak connected to a removalist from Sydney continues to grow.

The state formally reported just one new community transmission today, but Victoria's COVID-19 commander Jeroen Weimar says early this morning seven new infections were picked up.

While contact tracing and interviews are still underway to determine the potential spread of the virus in Melbourne, health authorities were able to discern that one of the new cases attended the MCG on the weekend.

As such, the AFL game between Carlton and Geelong at the MCG on 10 July has been listed as an exposure site.

Of the seven new cases, most are connected to the removalist from Sydney who breached freight conditions by not wearing a mask while visiting the Ariele apartment complex on 8 July.

The cases mentioned by Weimar today include a man in his 60s who live at the apartment complex, that man's 89 and 90-year-old parents, and three members of a household who also live at the apartment complex.

The man who attended the AFL match also visited Highpoint shopping centre on 9 July, so that centre has been listed as an exposure site too.

Weimar has encouraged anyone who visited the Highpoint centre on 9 July between 10am and 2pm to come forward and get tested.

"This is clearly a very rapidly moving situation, we're very keen to make sure we get a firm grip on this as soon as we possibly can," Weimar said.

"We've talked about the outstanding performance collectively that all Victorians have undertaken to get on top of these waves, and we are being tested again now.

"This is a significant challenge to us with two separate chains of transmission running."

Updated at 2.12pm AEST on 14 July 2021.

NSW reports 97 new local cases as Sydney lockdown extended by at least two weeks

Following NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian's message that daily cases with community exposure must get "as close to zero as possible" for the Greater Sydney lockdown to be lifted, it will come as little surprise to most that restrictions have been extended until at least 30 July.

NSW Health reported 97 new locally transmitted cases in the 24 hours to 8pm last night, of whom 24 were infectious while out and about.

Over the past week the number of hospitalisations has risen sharply to 71.

The Premier has also thanked the community of Fairfield where there is currently the highest concentration of infections, as mobility data shows a "considerable drop-off" in the numbers, meaning residents are responding to the state's health messages and are staying at home.

Berejiklian emphasised people who live in the area but work elsewhere can get tested near their workplaces in order to alleviate some of the pressure on Fairfield testing centres.

"I'm just so deeply grateful that you have responded so positively. We now need adjoining council areas to take up that message in large numbers as well," the Premier said.

"As I promised yesterday, the New South Wales Government, based on the health advice would provide information on the extension of the lockdown.

"It always hurts to say this but we need to extend the lockdown at least a further two weeks from Friday the 16th of July to Friday the 30th of July. That includes home learning, however we'll obviously assess the situation at the end of those two weeks and provide information beyond that."

Berejiklian said she fought hard to secure the COVID support package announced yesterday, noting the state was providing additional funding so that "businesses and individuals don't stress".

"Of course we want to see this lockdown end in a timely way, but no matter how long we do need, we will have that support for businesses and for individuals," she said.

Key elements of latest package

• Grants between $7,500 and $15,000 available to eligible businesses with annual wages up to $10 million
• New $1,500 fortnightly grant program introduced for smaller micro businesses with turnover between $30,000 and $75,000.
• COVID-19 Commonwealth Disaster Payment to be lifted from 18 July to $600 if a person has lost 20 or more hours of work per week, and to $375 for those who lost between eight and less than 20 hours.
• Payroll tax waivers of 25 per cent for businesses with Australian wages of between $1.2 million and $10 million that have experienced a 30 per cent decline in turnover.
• NSW Government will cover disaster recovery payments for areas outside the Commonwealth-declared hotspot from week four of the Greater Sydney lockdown.
• $75 million support package for the performing arts sector to be administered by Create NSW.
• $26 million support package for the accommodation sector.
• Residential tenants will have greater protection with a targeted eviction moratorium.
• Residential landlords who decrease rent for impacted tenants can apply for a grant of up to $1,500 or land tax reductions depending on their circumstances.
• Commercial and retail landlords will need to attempt mediation before recovering a security bond, or locking out or evicting a tenant impacted by the Public Health Order.
• Commercial, retail and residential landlords liable for land tax will be eligible for a land tax concession where they reduce the rent of their tenant.
• $12 million in additional funding for temporary accommodation for those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
• $5.1 million in NSW funding to support mental health.

Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said the majority of cases are close contacts and household contacts, but authorities are seeing some unlinked cases whose sources are being actively investigated.

The pattern is mostly around household infections but some transmission is also being seen in workplaces, which comes as a reminder for essential businesses to ensure they've got COVID Safe plans in place.

"Of today's cases, the vast majority were in the southwestern Sydney, so of the 97 cases, 70 are from Southwestern Sydney Local Health District and most of these are from the local government area of Fairfield," Dr Chant said.

Workers from across Greater Sydney who work at locations more than 50km from the outer boundary of the Shellharbour, Wollongong, Wollondilly, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Central Coast LGAs must be tested for COVID-19 every seven days, even if they do not have symptoms.

From 14-18 July, workers from Greater Sydney can continue to work more than 50km from the outer boundary of the Shellharbour, Wollongong, Wollondilly, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Central Coast LGAs if they have not been tested, however they must take reasonable steps to do so prior to 19 July.

Updated at 11:18am AEST on 14 July 2021.

COVID support package extended to businesses and regional NSW with a boost for employees

The Commonwealth and New South Wales government have announced a new combined support package that will boost payments for businesses, employees and expand eligiblity to regional NSW.

From 18 July the COVID-19 Commonwealth Disaster Payment will be lifted to $600 if a person has lost 20 or more hours of work a week, and up to $375 if they have lost between eight and under 20 hours.

The two governments will also enter into a 50/50 cost sharing arrangement for a new business support payment, which will be implemented and administered by the state government.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg says the businesses support payment will assist an estimated 500,000 entities employing more than three million people.

A new business support payment has been included for those who can demonstrate a 30 per cent decline in turnover. Entities that are eligible must have an annual turnover between $75,000 and $50 million.

Businesses must also maintain their full-time, part-time and long-term casual staffing levels as of 13 July 2021.

The support payment will see businesses that fit the criteria, including not-for-profits, receive payments of between $1,500 and $10,00 per week based on their level of payroll. The cash boost will be equivalent to 40 per cent of weekly payroll.

For non-employing businesses, such as sole traders, the payment will be set at $1,000 per week.

There will also be $1,500 fortnightly grants for micro businesses with turnover of between $30,000 and $75,000, where the business is the primary source of income and has demonstrated a 30 per cent reduction in turnover.

For businesses with payrolls of between $1.2 million and $10 million, a payroll tax deferral will be available with a waiver for this quarter once the 30 per cent turnover reduction is proven.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says that as the pandemic has evolved, so too have the responses from government.

"As the outbreak has worsened well beyond what we have recently seen in other states and territories, it is in the national interest to enable increased assistance, in partnership with the NSW Government, for workers, business and households, to ensure the lockdown can be maintained to arrest the latest outbreak," he says.

"This new support represents a new national approach and will apply to other states and territories in the event they face similar circumstances."

In addition $17.5 million has been pledged towards a mental health support package for NSW funding services such as Lifeline, Headspace and Kid's Helpline.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the support package will help businesses and families across NSW get through this difficult period.

"We are pleased to be able to increase our targeted support in conjunction with the Commonwealth and this assistance will ensure we get through the lockdown and come out stronger on the other side," she says.

NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet believes the package will help thousands of businesses across the state.

"This package will help families and businesses weather the current storm and ensure we can hit the ground running once this current outbreak is under control."

Business NSW chief executive Daniel Hunter says it is crucial for the support money to start flowing as quickly as possible.

"Business NSW has been working closely with both the State and Federal Governments over the past week on this package, particularly around what more could be done for business owners to retain their employees, and it's great to see this package rolled out that will support the doors staying open and staff keeping their jobs," Hunter says.

"The Government has assured business applications will open later this month with the money to be paid days after that.

"The impact the lockdown has had on the mental health of business owners has been heartbreaking to see, as many business owners have closed the doors, unlikely to ever reopen."

Hunter highlights the "immense" impact on regional NSW even though the lockdown has been for Greater Sydney, as they've missed out on the strong school holiday trade and also have a lack of forward bookings.

"This support will give business owners the opportunity to retain their staff and give them the best chance to rebound their operations when the lockdown finishes," Hunter says.

Business Council chief executive Jennifer Westacott describes the package as a critical lifeline.

"This lockdown will end and when it does this package means businesses will be ready to ramp back up quickly and keep the recovery going," she says.

"Once again state and federal governments have stepped in and put workers first by keeping them connected to their employers.

"The federal government has demonstrated again its willingness to step in, support states and make the changes needed to keep people working and businesses going."

Westacott adds this new package also gives workers and employers in other parts of the country more certainty of support if they are forced into more lockdowns.

"However our focus must always be on getting the systems in place to prevent these lockdowns in the future," she says.

"Vaccination is our ticket back to normality, so the business community are working closely with governments to ensure we're ready to get people protected quickly once the supply is available.

"As more and more people are vaccinated, National Cabinet should quickly implement the plan to unwind restrictions with clear timelines and achievable targets."

The Australian Retailers Association (ARA) has also welcomed the initiative announced today.

ARA CEO Paul Zahra says the package will provide small businesses in particular with the confidence they need and will help alleviate some of the mental health pressures staff and business owners confront with extended lockdowns.

"It's clear we will be living with COVID for some time and we are pleased to see a national approach to support measures for extended lockdowns," he says.

"We have a situation where many businesses are facing weeks of lost revenue, with no end in sight and some are preparing to close for good. Displaced workers are unsure how they're going to pay their bills and rent.

"The economic support package has certainly come as a welcome relief. We're into week three of this lockdown, and people and businesses up until now have been trying to survive without a proper safety net in place."

Zahra notes one of the successful aspects of JobKeeper was keeping employees linked to their employers, so the ARA is pleased to to see the return of this connection as part of today's announcement.

"Lockdowns have a heavy social and economic cost. The lockdown in NSW is costing around a billion dollars a week in terms of lost retail trade. It's also taking a toll on people's health and wellbeing, and we are pleased to see the additional mental health supports," Zahra explains.

"The vaccination program is critical. It's the only way we'll seen an end to these sorts of lockdowns and restrictions that are devastating businesses and livelihoods.

"The ARA is working closely with the Federal Government and other industry groups on solutions to expediate the vaccine rollout. The retail industry stands ready to support this effort in whatever way it can."

Updated at 4.27pm AEST on 13 July 2021.