A 26-year-old man said he slept as his car keys and wallet were stolen just metres from his bed.Matthew Abernethy said someone snuck through a window of his Hamilton home just after 3am as he lay sleeping on the final day of 2021.The…

The Northern Territory will introduce an indoor mask mandate for the entire territory as COVID-19 cases climb to a new daily record.

The territory recorded 60 new COVD-19 cases today. Of these new cases, 16 were in interstate arrivals, 18 were close contacts of previous cases, 11 infections were the result of community transmission, and 15 cases remain under investigation.

Currently, 24 people with the virus are in hospital. None are in ICU.

The majority of cases are in Darwin, with four in Tennant Creek and one is in Katherine.

READ MORE: South Australia records 'significant jump' in COVID-19 cases

The new infections come after the territory yesterday recorded 37 COVID-19 cases.

NT Chief Minister Michael Gunner confirmed an indoor mask mandate is being introduced "to minimise potential spread of the virus" from 6pm tonight.

"I know the timing of the mandate is not ideal but the fact is tonight will be a special one where people gather in large numbers," Mr Gunner said.

"Unfortunately that's why it's important we need to act now.

"You can still go out, we want you to have as much fun as you can, but we need you to do this as safely as possible.

"That's why you need to check in and wear a mask at all times when you're indoors except when eating, drinking or more than 1.5 metres away from all others.

"If you're doing New Year's right you will be closer than 1.5 metres, so mask up."

Mr Gunner went on to say "This New Year I want your only regret to be a hangover — not COVID."

He said all cases of community transmission are being treated as if it's the Omicron variant.

There is no end date to the mask mandate in sight.

Instead authorities will closely monitor community spread.

"Over the past 72 hours there has been a growing trend in community transmission," Mr Gunner said.

"We had one case of community transmission on Wednesday, four cases yesterday with at least 11 cases of community transmission today."

READ MORE: NSW cases 'likely' higher than reported as infections double

Mr Gunner said there will be a long list of exposure sites updated through the day.

Residents are encouraged to keep across changes here.

READ MORE: 'A third' of Victoria's 5919 new cases Omicron variant

It comes as New South Wales recorded a massive jump in case numbers today, amassing a total of 21,151 new infections and another six deaths. Victoria recorded 5,919 new COVID-19 cases and seven deaths.

More to come…

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The rules have changed for close contacts of COVID-19 cases, as the Omicron variant spreads like a bushfire across Australia.

Close contacts of confirmed cases are required to self-isolate for seven days starting from the testing date of the positive PCR test.

READ MORE: Big spike in Victoria COVID-19 cases

If they start to develop symptoms, they are required to get a PCR test themselves.

If not, they are required to take a rapid antigen test on day six. If they test negative, they are free to leave isolation on the seventh day.

But what if they test positive?

What happens if my test result on day six is positive?

If you receive a positive rapid antigen test result on day six, then you need to go and get a PCR test.

At some testing sites, you are urged to turn on their hazard lights or otherwise indicate you have returned a positive rapid antigen test.

If the PCR test also comes back positive, then you need to spend another seven days in isolation.

This means it will be a 14-day isolation period.

What about confirmed COVID-19 cases?

The Federal Government announced today the day six rapid antigen test for confirmed cases of COVID-19 has been scrapped.

If you're a confirmed COVID-19 case and have symptoms on day seven, you should go and get a PCR test and stay in isolation.

If that PCR test returns a positive result, then you have to stay in isolation for another seven days.

If by day seven, you don't have any symptoms as a COVID-19 case, you're free to leave isolation, however are urged to avoid high-risk settings such as hospitals and aged care facilities.

READ MORE: Huge jump in NSW COVID-19 cases, six deaths

What's the new definition of a close contact?

As of midnight, a close contact of a positive COVID-19 case can now be defined as "a household contact, or a household-like contact, of a confirmed case only".

Not an interaction in a retail store, supermarket, bar or restaurant, only somebody that a person has spent over four hours with inside a home.

"A household contact is someone who lives with a case or has spent more than four hours with them in a house, accommodation or care facility setting," Prime Minister Scott Morrison said yesterday.

"You are only a close contact if you are, effectively, living with someone or have been in an accommodation setting with someone."

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about isolation, close contacts

I haven't been in contact with a COVID-19 case inside a home and don't show symptoms, do I go about life as normal?

Yes. If you don't fulfil the new definition of a close contact then there is no need for you to be in the line for a PCR test.

"You should go home. Go to the beach, go and do what you want to do. Read a book in the park," Mr Morrison said.

"Follow all the normal, common-sense things that you would do, monitor your symptoms, followed the COVID say practices, make sure you have booked for your booster, do all of those sorts of things."

One person has been arrested after Whangamatā police had bottles thrown at them while patrolling Williamson Park overnight.Dozens of party-goers were also fined for breaching the liquor ban.Police in Whangamatā and around…

The day six rapid antigen test for confirmed COVID-19 cases has been scrapped by National Cabinet after yesterday's announcement.

The Prime Minister's office issued a statement today stating a confirmed COVID-19 cases should continue to take PCR tests if they are symptomatic, instead of a rapid antigen test (RAT) on day six.

"Further to National Cabinet on 30 December 2021, and following further consultation with the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Health Officers, leaders have also agreed to remove the requirement for a Day 6 RAT for confirmed cases in isolation," the statement said.

READ MORE: Medical experts, business divided over COVID-19 close contact change

"If confirmed cases remain symptomatic, they should remain in isolation."

"Anyone with symptoms will continue to seek a PCR test."

However, the day six rapid antigen test for close contacts remains in place.

This follows Scott Morrison announcing changes to isolation periods for close contacts and confirmed cases yesterday following an emergency meeting of National Cabinet.

The isolation period for confirmed cases changed to seven days, however with today's statement if a person continues to have symptoms they will isolate for longer than seven days.

READ MORE: NSW cases 'likely' higher than reported as infections double overnight

A person's isolation period starts again if a person continues to be symptomatic and test positive past day seven, the Prime Minister's office confirmed to 9News on Thursday night.

The additional quarantine period means they would not be allowed to stop isolating until after at least 12 days.

This means people may enter a longer quarantine than was previously in place in NSW and Victoria, where the duration was 10 days.

READ MORE: NSW Police warn people not to have out-of-control parties at Airbnbs

A new definition of close contacts came into place from midnight last night across five jurisdictions.

NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and the ACT agreed to the terms.

"A close contact is a household contact, or household like, of a confirmed case only," Mr Morrison said.

"A household contact is someone who lives with a case or has spent more than four hours with them in our house, accommodation or care facility setting."

Close contacts will still need to isolate for seven days from their exposure date.

An asymptomatic close contact must take a rapid test, while a close contact who is symptomatic or who returns a positive RAT test must have a PCR test.

Mr Morrison said there was no need for anyone who did not fulfil the close contact definition to line up for PCR tests.

Former All Black and national sprint champion Terry Morrison has died while surfing on Christmas Eve. Morrison, 70, died on the Sunshine Coast; where he has lived for several years. Dubbed the “flying wing”, he played four matches…

A 29-year-old man has been charged with burglary in relation to a break-in at Kennards Self Storage Napier.A police spokeswomen said the alleged burglary occurred between Christmas Eve and December 29, when it was reported to police.”One…