BREAKING NEWS

Coronavirus: Australia strengthens quarantine rules for returning citizens

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday tightened enforcement on self isolation for thousands of citizens returning from overseas, saying states and territories would quarantine all arrivals in hotels.

The Australian Defence Force would also be deployed to help enforce the self-isolation rules, Morrison said.

The number of coronavirus cases in Australia surpassed 3,000 on Friday from less than 100 at the start of March, according to health authorities, raising fears about a wider spread in the community. The country has reported 13 deaths from the pandemic so far.