Australia to shorten isolation period, COVID-19 cases continue to rise

Following a meeting with state and territory leaders, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced on Wednesday that the isolation period will be shortened from Sept. 9 with the following caveats.

Under the change, people will be allowed to leave isolation after five days -- down from seven -- provided they have no COVID-19 symptoms.

People who work in high-risk settings including aged and disability care will still be required to isolate for seven days after testing positive regardless of symptoms.

«What we want to do is to make sure that government responds to the changed circumstances, COVID is likely going to be around for a considerable period of time,» Albanese told reporters.

Leaders also agreed on Wednesday to scrap facemask mandates on domestic flights from Sept. 9.

The announcement came when the COVID-19 infections continued in the current winter months in Australia.

So far, the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic has surpassed 10 million in Australia, the population of which is about 25 million.

Australia on Wednesday reported more than 10,000 new COVID-19 infections and more than 60 deaths.

There were 2,937 cases being treated in hospitals around the country on Wednesday, including 84 in intensive care.