Australia has signed onto a global coronavirus agreement in the hope of gaining early access to dozens of potential vaccines. The deal guarantees Australia access to enough vaccine doses for up to 50 per cent of the population. Australia has committed an…

Victoria has had three coronavirus deaths, while new cases jumped on Tuesday to 28. The latest fatalities take the state toll to 766 and the national figure to 854. The news cases are a significant spike on Monday's 11, the lowest Victorian figure since June…

Tasmania could reopen to safe jurisdictions - including South Australia, Western Australia and the Northern Territory - by the end of October, pending advice from Public Health officials. "At this stage, we're not declaring that we will open early. What we…

Elective surgery waitlists in NSW have blown out to more than 100,000 people after non-urgent procedures were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Data from the state's Bureau of Health Information shows there were 101,026 patients on waitlists on June 30 -…

Lockdown-weary Victoria has had a double dose of good news, with no coronavirus deaths and the imminent easing of the state's regional lockdown. It is the first time since July 13 there have been no Australian fatalities from the virus. With the 14-day…

South Australia will lift its COVID-19 border restrictions with the ACT from midnight on Tuesday. Travellers flying in from Canberra will no longer need to quarantine for 14 days but will not be allowed to arrive by road. No decision has yet been made on…

Victoria has enjoyed its first day without a coronavirus death since July 13. The state also had 42 new cases. The good news leaves Victoria's toll at 729 and the national figure on 816. There should be more good news this week, with regional Victorian…

DEATHS AND INFECTIONS ASIA-PACIFIC * Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed buy COVID-19 vaccine made available by Russia or China, while taking a swipe at pharmaceutical firms of western nations asking for advance payment for their offers. EUROPE *…

Premier Steven Marshall says South Australia will drop its COVID-19 border restrictions with NSW and the ACT as soon as it is safe to do so. Speculation is growing that SA's transition committee will drop the 14-day quarantine requirements as early as…

State borders closed to contain the spread of coronavirus are continuing to dominate the national debate. Nationals MP Barnaby Joyce has described Queensland's hardline border measures as a sham after American actor Tom Hanks was allowed to enter the state.…

Staff from two Sydney public hospitals have been deployed to Concord Hospital's emergency department as 100 healthcare workers remain in isolation awaiting COVID-19 test results. NSW Health on Thursday said there were 14 people linked to the Concord and…

British scientists have developed a scoring model for predicting the death risk of patients hospitalised with COVID-19, saying it should help doctors quickly decide on the best care. The tool, detailed in research published in the BMJ medical journal on…

A person who returned to Tasmania from the U-K in back March has been identified as another case of coronavirus for the state, but no longer active. Antibodies for COVID-19 have been detected in the woman, meaning health authorities are classifying her as a…

Tasmania is again free of coronavirus after a man in hospital recovered from the deadly disease. He tested positive on August 11 while in the North West Regional Hospital after returning from Melbourne where he received medical treatment. The state's health…

It's far too risky to hold Sydney's world-famous New Year's Eve fireworks on the harbour in the midst of a pandemic, NSW Deputy Premier John Barilaro says. "How can you attract one million people to the harbour shores and do it in a safe way?", he said on…

The head of the World Health Organisation is warning that opening up societies too quickly amid the coronavirus pandemic is a "recipe for disaster". WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus advises that "the more control countries have over the virus,…

Grounded commercial aircraft due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic are seen parked at the Asia Pacific Aircraft Storage facility in Alice Springs, Sunday, August 30, 2020. (AAP Image/Darren England) COVID-19 has helped push down Australia's carbon…

Coronavirus restrictions which prevent dancing at weddings in Tasmania have been slightly adjusted. Parents, guardians, and the bridal party are allowed to dance at weddings under the new rules which came into effect at 12:01am today. "We were able to provide…

A Sydney high school and a Catholic primary school have been closed for cleaning after a staff member and a student were diagnosed with coronavirus. The NSW Education Department says Ryde Secondary College, in the city's northwest, will be closed after a…

Victoria's mixed coronavirus news continues, with 23 deaths and new cases dropping further to 113. The latest fatalities take the state toll to 485 and the national figure to 572. It's also the third-highest daily toll for Australia after Wednesday's 24 and…