The nation's leaders will canvas overhauling the definition of a COVID-19 close contact at a snap meeting on Thursday, as they seek to alleviate rising pressure on health and testing systems around the country.

Since hitting the headlines in November, the Omicron COVID-19 variant has damaged economies, destroyed holidays and blighted the festive season, but scientists say there may be a silver lining to the fast-moving version of the virus.

The state sets another daily case number record as authorities move to scrap the requirement for interstate travellers from COVID-19 hotspots to produce a negative PCR test before arriving in the state.

Close and casual contacts of COVID-19 cases will be allowed to continue working in South Australia's health system, as growing case numbers, hospitalisations and long waits for testing build pressure on the system.

WA records two new local cases in an outbreak sparked by a backpacker, with the Premier saying it's unclear how one woman contracted the virus and warning 16 close contacts are unlikely to be located.

NSW Health says it is unlikely people will get their swab results within 72 hours and advised holiday-makers to avoid adding to testing queues to alleviate pressure on pathology labs.

A Melbourne man who was last with the missing man has spoken to the ABC, while a baffling pub food order has caught the attention of investigators.

WA Police find a key piece of evidence as they continue their search for an intruder who sexually assaulted a 7-year-old girl in her own bed in the north-eastern suburb of Ellenbrook. 

The Victorian government says rapid antigen testing will be free and widely available within weeks, after it secured a delivery of more than 34 million testing kits.

A nursing home issues condolences after residents succumb to the virus as the local MP says she's frightened for her electorate and its high proportion of retirees.

Attorneys for Prince Andrew, Andrew Brettler and Melissa Lerner, say they recently discovered the complainant, Virginia Giuffre, has lived in Australia for all but two of the past 19 years and cannot claim she is a resident of Colorado, ma...

Sir Ian Botham, Michael Vaughan and other former England stars are wallowing as the team looks for answers in the wake of their Ashes demolition in the Boxing Day Test at the MCG.

After the Taliban emptied Afghanistan's prisons, more than 250 judges suddenly found themselves in mortal danger. As the people they put behind bars began enacting their revenge, a daring escape plan was formed. 

The family is calling for justice after a 14-year-old died in her mother's arms when she was struck by a stray bullet shot by a Los Angeles police officer at a US clothing store. 

Amid continuing protests, the controversial mine's maiden shipment of coal is ready for export from Bowen, but the company won't say where to.

Health authorities are investigating the source of three new COVID-19 cases recorded in the Northern Territory overnight, including one in a nine-year-old girl. It comes as the Territory government continues to stand by PCR testing for inter...

Premier Steven Marshall says it will soon be mandatory for frontline healthcare workers to have a booster shot.

There are now 1,028 active cases of the virus across Canberra and four people in hospital — none of whom are in the ICU. But testing data over the past few days suggests there is more virus circulating in the territory than has been confir...

Nick Kyrgios accepts a Sydney Tennis Classic wildcard, taking part in his final warm-up tournament ahead of an Australian Open that could be without a host of top talents.

Hundreds of Hong Kong national security police raid the offices of online pro-democracy media outlet Stand News and arrest six people, including senior staff, for "conspiracy to publish seditious publications".

Here's a quick wrap of what's happening in COVID news to get you up to speed fast.

Experts are reporting fewer cicadas have emerged this summer, leaving the bushland conspicuously quiet. But it could just be a part of the "boom-bust" cycle.

He was one of the youngest elected councillors in Baw Baw Shire's history and a rising star, but one night changed that.

As Queensland Police Service's oldest unit, the Mounties have a long history of crime-fighting and have a tactical advantage that can mean the difference between life and death for their human "partners".

Mapoon on western Cape York unveils a new church, the first in the community since the old mission was destroyed under orders of the Queensland government in 1963.