Seven of the infections were detected outside of the reporting period and will be included in tomorrow’s figures.

The coronavirus outbreak in Sydney’s eastern suburbs grew to three cases on Thursday after a woman in her 70s tested positive.

Australia has released a refugee family from Christmas Island, after their youngest child was flown to the mainland for medical care.

It is the first time the state has recorded zero new cases since the recent outbreak was first detected on 24 May.

Australia is under pressure to release a refugee family from a Christmas Island detention centre after their three-year-old child had to be medically evacuated to the mainland.

Qantas said it was “disturbed” by claims that some staff may have been involved in organized crime following an Australian media report that gangs had “infiltrated” the airline.

Australia’s Victoria state authorities say they have detected the highly infectious Delta COVID-19 virus variant for the first time in the latest outbreak in Melbourne, stoking concerns of a major spike in cases.

A court has fined 12 Australian media groups a total of A$1.1m (£600,000; $840,000) for their coverage of Cardinal George Pell’s now-overturned conviction in a sexual abuse case.

The hot, new thing that young people want in Australia right now? It’s not the latest Yeezy sneakers or an iPhone – it’s a Covid vaccine, preferably the much coveted Pfizer.

New Victorian COVID-19 restrictions have been announced in response to a growing number of cases in a Melbourne suburbs coronavirus outbreak.

Australia’s second most populous state Victoria will enter a seven-day lockdown to counter a fast-spreading outbreak in its capital, Melbourne.

It has been a very nervous few days for residents in Melbourne, as the city’s COVID-19 cluster has continued to swell.