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New South Wales must "continue lockdowns until the virus is eliminated", the president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA) has said.

Dr Omar Khorshid issued a strong warning to NSW, urging leaders to "stick to their guns" or risk "disaster".

"There's no alternative to elimination," he said, given "nowhere in the world has any community been able to live with Delta without very significant levels of vaccination".

LIVE UPDATES: Global COVID-19 deaths hit four million

"We would be talking about long-term significant restrictions on people's movements from going in and out of lockdown, hospitals filling up with extremely sick people, and a devastating economic impact, not just on NSW but the rest of the country," he said.

"We would see permanently closed borders between most other states and NSW which would have devastating impact on many families and businesses."

The AMA today released a statement in support of the extended NSW lockdown after the state recorded its highest daily rise in case numbers in over a year with 38 new infections since yesterday.

READ MORE: NSW records highest number of daily COVID-19 cases in over a year

"Now is the time to redouble our efforts and our resolve as a community, to beat the current outbreak in NSW," the statement said.

"We do not have high levels of the population vaccinated yet. We are nowhere close to 'herd' immunity.

"If the outbreak in NSW is not dealt with, then we will see borders around Australia closed."

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Dr Khorshid said harsher restrictions may be needed to bring the outbreak under control.

"I think it would be acknowledged that there have been more cases in the community than they were expecting at this stage, almost two weeks into the lockdown, and there may need to be tighter restrictions on community," the AMA president said.

The AMA would support tighter restrictions, he said, if it meant limiting the duration of the lockdown.

"We can't live with this virus," he said.

"New South Wales certainly can't live in lockdown until we're fully vaccinated so if that means turning up the restrictions that's exactly what they should do.

"If Australia tries to open up and live with Delta, it faces a reality like that in India or Indonesia, not the UK or US which have significant numbers of the population vaccinated."

A Gold Coast couple were shocked in the best way after an expert metal detectorist helped them find a lost engagement ring.

Engaged pair Natalie and Tom were throwing a Vortex ball while knee-deep in the water on a local beach when Natalie's spiralling pass tore the ring from her hand.

"I'm on the beach crying, we're both crying," Natalie told 9News.

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The couple searched for three days, aided by a metal detector they purchased, but to no avail.

"She was starting to lose hope, and I was too," Tom said.

But instead of giving up, they enlisted the help of metal detection recovery specialist Karen Preston.

And, unbelievably, they not only found the $4000 ring, but had the camera on to record their reactions.

READ MORE: Bride shares iconic wedding photo after helicopter flood rescue

"Oh, you are joking me! Oh my God!" Natalie is heard saying.

The couple were glad their big day could get back on track.

"I was trying to be optimistic," Natalie said.

"I didn't really think it was going to come back though."

Despite Australian lobsters being banned by Chinese authorities, demand for them continues to be strong, with some being smuggled into mainland China, reports say.

In one incident, Australian rock lobsters – regarded as a delicacy in China – were seized during a smuggling bust in Hong Kong, The South China Morning Post reports.

They were among luxury goods confiscated in May when a speed boat heading to mainland China was intercepted by Hong Kong officials.

READ MORE: China's tough policy to Australia looks 'unyielding', top Biden aide says

While authorities did not reveal the origin of the 569kg worth of live lobsters, valued at $25,000, the creatures bore the red colour and the forked antennae unique to Australian rock lobsters.

The incident highlights how demand for the Australian crustaceans is being met by "grey channels" – or unauthorised trade routes.

"Most of the smuggled lobsters are western rock lobsters from Australia," a Hong Kong seafood trader said.

"Mainland consumers are so used to its taste that the Chinese market demand is still huge, even though direct imports have been banned."

READ MORE: Chinese students in Australia threatened by Beijing, report finds

Nine.com.au has contacted Hong Kong Customs and Excise for a statement.

The live rock lobster smuggling route begins after the live crustaceans are flown from Perth to Hong Kong.

They are chilled before and during the flight but then "woken" with fresh seawater after they clear customs.

Once strong enough, the lobsters are repacked into the styrofoam boxes they arrived in to begin the illegal part of their journey, typically over water to mainland China.

For years Australian live rock lobster exporters have been dependent on the China market, accounted for 95 per cent of rock lobster exports that were flown live from Australia.

But last November Beijing imposed a live export ban as relations with Canberra plummeted.

The industry, along with Australian beef, barley, coal and wine producers, became caught in rising tensions with China after clashes over the coronavirus, Hong Kong and foreign interference.

The 10 Queensland hospital staff who saved the life of a patient with COVID-19 were almost all fully vaccinated, the state's premier says.

Annastacia Palaszczuk, Chief Health Officer Dr Jeanette Young and Health Minister Yvette D'Ath all praised the team's quick actions.

The female patient had been moved from a COVID ward to the medical imaging unit at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital before suffering an anaphylactic shock due to contrast dye being used before an MRI scan.

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The event triggered additional staff to help assist during the life-threatening incident.

Dr Young confirmed that despite all the additional staff wearing PPE, they felt they might have been compromised.

"All 10 staff were vaccinated, one of them was just waiting for their second dose because it wasn't due yet," Dr Young said.

"They just felt their PPE may have been compromised because they were in such a rush to help that patient."

While the woman was saved, those 10 additional staff members must now isolate for two weeks following the lifesaving act.

"(They) went beyond everyone's expectations, I'm just so proud of them," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"It just happens so quickly, there was no hesitation."

Dr Young commended the staff's selfless actions.

"These staff put themselves in harm's way to help a patient in need. They put the patient's welfare before their own," Dr Young said.

"Staff were required to act quickly and may not have been able to maintain full infection control while attending to the emergency."

"They absolutely followed the right process."

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