Restrictions

Restrictions for Greater Sydney after second Covid-19 case emerges

Restrictions will apply until at least Monday and limit household guests to 20, make masks compulsory in indoor public venues and on public transport, and restrict aged care visitation to two people.

It comes after it emerged this afternoon that the wife of the first Covid-19 community case - a man in his 50s - had contracted the virus too.

The man from Sydney's eastern suburbs had not been overseas recently, and did not work in a hotel quarantine, border or health role, setting off alarms on how he contracted the virus in the community.

Brisbane lockdown to be lifted at 6:00pm but some restrictions to remain

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said it had been a "great effort" by Queenslanders over the past three days.

"This is the best news we could have hoped for, absolutely the best news," Ms Palaszczuk.

ABC News reports no cases were reported since 6:00pm on Friday, when Queensland authorities imposed a snap lockdown to slow the potential spread of a UK coronavirus variant.

The highly contagious strain was detected in a cleaner who spent five days in the community in early January after contracting the virus at Brisbane quarantine hotel.

Some states begin to reopen as US death toll passes 50,000

Salons and spas could reopen in Georgia and Oklahoma while Alaska lifted restrictions on restaurants.

On Friday, President Donald Trump walked out of a shorter than usual briefing, refusing to take questions.

He has faced criticism after suggesting that injecting household disinfectant into patients could be beneficial.

His remarks have been condemned as dangerous by doctors and manufacturers. Disinfectants are hazardous substances and can be poisonous if ingested, and even external exposure can be dangerous to the skin, eyes and respiratory system.