Australia to isolate all international arrivals to tackle virus

Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced new measures Sunday to combat the spread of the new coronavirus, including a self-isolation requirement for all travellers arriving in the country and a ban on the arrival of cruise ships.

Sydney: Australia on Sunday announced anyone arriving in the country will face mandatory 14-day self-isolation, in a bid to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

"We are going to have to get used to some changes in the way we live our lives," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said, adding the measure will come into effect from midnight (1300 GMT Sunday).

Morrison also said all cruise ships will be banned entirely and that he expects 'visitor traffic will dry up very very very quickly'.

"If your mate has been to Bali and they come back and they turn up at work and they are sitting next to you, well they will be committing an offence," Morrison said.

Australia has detected 269 cases of the COVID-19 virus so far, with a large number of new cases now coming from the United States, Morrison said, describing the country as a 'major source'.