Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday ordered the closure of pubs, places of worship, gyms and cinemas, from midday Monday to combat coronavirus spread.
Restaurants, cafes and catering businesses have been instructed to switch to delivery and take-away services.
The decision comes after many people appeared to disregard health warnings, leading to a rapid rise in cases in the country.
Earlier, Morrison asserted that “too many Australians” are not taking the threat of COVID-19 seriously, with Sydney's beaches including Bondi recording large crowds over the weekend.
So far, the country has recorded 1,315 cases.
Meanwhile, Victoria, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory have shut down non-essential services for the next 48 hours.
It comes as the government announced an additional A$66.4 billion ($38.50 billion) as part of a second stimulus package to shelter the economy from the impact of coronavirus.
A man missing for more than 26 years has been found alive in his neighbour's cellar, just a few hundred metres from his family home. Omar bin Omran was reportedly kidnapped as a teenager and was discovered on Sunday.
China will always be a good neighbor, friend and partner of mutual trust with Russia, the state television quoted China president Xi Jinping as saying, as he mets Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico is no longer in a life-threatening condition after he was shot in an assassination attempt when leaving a government meeting on Wednesday, a government minister said.
US President Joe Biden and Republican rival Donald Trump on Wednesday agreed to face off in two debates on June 27 and Sept. 10, setting up the highest stakes moments yet of the race for the White House.
The number of people killed by weekend flash floods and mud slides in Indonesia's West Sumatra province has risen to 67 and 20 are still missing, authorities said on Thursday, as the government plans to relocate survivors to safer areas.