Politicians have called on the Prime Minister to boost international travel caps after yesterday's announcement that Emirates would stop many of their Australian flights.

The Dubai-based carrier's decision to suspend Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne routes "until further notice" adds more strain on the 38,000 Aussies stranded abroad.

While the government today announced 20 extra repatriation flights to help with the load, some politicians say it's not enough — with Japan Airlines also considering it's Australian flight status from next month.

READ MORE: Dozens of government flights to bring Aussie citizens home

Scott Morrison announced the reduced influx of passengers following last week's National Cabinet meeting and revealed he plans to review the new international arrival travel caps on February 15.

However, politicians say the boost needs to come much sooner.

Speaking to The Sun-Herald and The Sunday Age, North Sydney Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman said the lower cap was "obviously having a dire impact on many Australians still overseas who, at the beginning of the New Year, were planning to return to Australia"

"The concern of new strains having an impact on Australia is entirely understandable, but if the February start date can be brought forward that would be a positive outcome," he said.

While Higgins Liberal MP Katie Allen told the publications: "There's no doubt we want to see an increase in quarantine caps. I would support that."

While Emirates have stopped flights to Australia's eastern states, they are continuing their Perth services.

Singapore Airlines has said they will continue their services to Australia amid the tightened international arrival caps, which have been almost halved as of today.

Japan Airlines are currently flying Aussies home but admit they are set to re-evaluate the situation.

It's expected they are reviewing their plans for February and will announce future scheduling in due course.

Qatar and Etihad Airways also offer services via the Middle East, aiding thousands of expats to return home since the start of the pandemic.

Victoria is lifting its strict border ban on interstate travellers from Brisbane, allowing thousands to return home and visit loved ones.

From 6pm tonight, Brisbane will move from a "red zone" to an "orange zone" under Victoria's traffic light system for determining border restrictions.

Announcing the move, Premier Daniel Andrews said that most of Sydney was likely to follow suit "in the next couple of days".

READ MORE: Victorian government accused of 'double standards' over Australian Open

"We hope, based on pre-conditions and public health advice with all the usual caveats – these things can change, it's dynamic, it's rapid – but we do hope that in the next couple of days we will be able to dramatically shrink the red zone (for Sydney)," Mr Andrews said.

"I wish I could make those announcements today but we are simply not in a position."

Mr Andrews said a "strong majority" of Sydney's 35 Local Government Areas were expected to be downgraded to orange zones in the next two to three days.

However, he emphasised that there would be some LGAs that would remain "red", with anyone who has visited those regions barred.

Under "orange zone" restrictions, travellers can enter Victoria after acquiring a permit, but are still required to get tested for COVID-19 and isolate until they receive a negative result.

All of regional NSW also remains an "orange zone" under Victoria's designations, while all other states besides Queensland are green.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Professor Brett Sutton said that the fact that positive sewage tests of Sydney's wastewater corresponded well with where known cases had been detected gave him further confidence there wasn't unknown community transmission in the city.

The announcement comes amid criticism of the Victorian government's ongoing border closures, as more than 1000 elite tennis players and their support staff fly in, many from coronavirus-ravaged nations, ahead of the Australian Open.

Queensland and Victoria have both recorded no new locally acquired coronavirus cases again today, bringing Victoria's stretch to ten consecutive days without new infections.

At least 67 people have died after a 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit Indonesia's Sulawesi island early Friday, according to the head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent societies in Indonesia.

Jan Gelfand told CNN on Friday that he expects the death toll and number of missing people to increase.

Hundreds have been injured, according to the country's disaster mitigation agency.

EARLIER: Strong, shallow earthquake shakes Indonesia's Sulawesi island

The epicenter of the quake, which struck at 1.28am Jakarta time (5.28am AEDT), was six kilometres northeast of the city of Majene, at a depth of 10 kilometers, according to Indonesia's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency.

Thirty-four people died in the city of Mamuju, to the north of the epicenter, while another eight died in Majene.

In Majene, at least 637 were injured and 15,000 residents have been displaced, according to the country's National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB).

Thousands of residents fled their homes to seek safety following the quake, which could be felt strongly for five to seven seconds and damaged at least 300 houses in Majene, BNPB said.

Other buildings have also been badly damaged, including a military command office in Majene, and hotels and government buildings in Mamuju.

Many people are still trapped under collapsed buildings, according to local search and rescue teams.

"Our priority is saving victims who are still buried under the buildings," Safaruddin Sanusi, head of West Sulawesi's Communications and Information Department, told CNN Friday.

"For example in the [West Sulawesi governor's office] we are still trying to evacuate two security guards who are trapped inside."

Nearly half of the buildings in Mamuju have been wiped out by the quake, he added.

"Most…of [the] people in Mamuju city are now displaced. They are afraid to stay at their houses."

The communications chief also said the quake had damaged four of Mamuju's largest hospitals.

"Mitra Manakara [Hospital] is flattened by this earthquake, while three others, Mamuju Central Hospital, Bhayangkara Hospital and Regional Hospital are also in [a] bad situation," he said.

"We need more extrication equipment and more personnel to work fast [on] saving victims trapped under the building."

"Our obstacle here is that we don't have heavy equipment to rescue them," Saidar Rahmanjaya, head of the Local Search and Rescue Agency of Mamuju, West Sulawesi, told local television.

Gelfand told CNN Friday that around 100 volunteers and Red Cross staff, as well as water trucks and convoys, had been deployed and were heading to the affected area.

He added that the task was difficult because infrastructure has been destroyed and there were landslides on the roads.

Gelfand also said the affected area was a COVID-19 red zone and so there were concerns about hygiene and safety.

Arianto Ardi, the section head of Mamuju's Search and Rescue Agency, told CNN that officials had finished evacuations at three homes that were wiped out from the earthquake.

The agency evacuated eight people from the first home. Three survived and five people died.

Another difficulty was the lack of communication among rescue teams, as local telephone networks were down following the quake, he said, adding that there were eight locations where people were in urgent need of rescue.

Shalahuddin Salman, a resident of Mamuju, said many people were trapped because they were sleeping when the quake struck in the middle of the night.

"We saved four family members but one still can't be evacuated," he told CNN after he and a few others rescued a family from underneath a collapsed building.

"(He's) trapped inside the building. We believe he is dead."

Shalahuddin said he worried that many people were trapped under the debris of the Mitra Manakara private hospital, an eight-floor structure that had been flattened by the quake.

Meanwhile, thousands of people who were able to flee have chosen to stay away from their homes out of fear of another earthquake or tsunami, said West Sulawesi's Police Grand Commissioner Syamsu Ridwan.

"Some of them are going to the higher place to avoid tsunami, although we have a confirmation that we have no tsunami after this big earthquake," he said.

The country's Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency said the earthquake did not trigger a tsunami based on meteorology and climatology agency modeling.

The earthquake also triggered a power outage and caused three landslides along the main road connecting Majene and Mamuju.

Hours earlier on Thursday, a 5.9-magnitude earthquake struck in the same district damaging several houses.

Straddling the so-called Pacific "Ring of Fire," Indonesia, a nation of high tectonic activity, is regularly hit by earthquakes.

In 2018, a devastating 6.2-magnitude quake and subsequent tsunami struck the city of Palu, in Sulawesi, killing thousands of people.

Justice Department lawyers asked a federal appeals court to replace President Donald Trump with the United States as the defendant in a defamation lawsuit brought by a woman who says he raped her in the 1990s.

The lawyers filed papers in an appeal of a lower-court Manhattan judge’s ruling denying the substitution in a lawsuit brought by E. Jean Carroll, a columnist who in a June 2019 book described her encounter with Trump at an upscale Manhattan department store.

The book excerpt prompted Trump to deny the allegations and question Carroll’s credibility and motivations in a statement from his White House press office, comments in an Oval Office interview and statements to the media as he boarded a helicopter for Camp David, the lawyers said. Carroll subsequently sued Trump, alleging defamation.

They said the statements fell within the scope of his employment as president because Carroll was, in effect, questioning his fitness to hold public office and thus statement had to be made, even if they were later deemed to be defamatory.

If the substitution was allowed, U.S. taxpayers would be responsible for any payout that might result in the litigation.

Carroll's attorney did not immediately comment on the government filing.

Carroll has alleged that she and Trump recognised one another when they randomly spotted each other at the luxury store. She maintains that their encounter included light-hearted banter until Trump became aggressive and then raped her inside a dressing room.

After the book was released, Trump said Carroll was “totally lying” to sell her memoir and that he’d never met her. He said a 1987 photo showing them and their then-spouses at a social event captured a moment when he was standing in a line.

The Associated Press does not identify people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Carroll has done.

The women accusing Trump of sexual assault

Jessica Leeds

When it allegedly happened: Around 1980

Where it allegedly happened: On a plane

What she said: Jessica Leeds, a 74-year-old Manhattan resident, told The New York Times that Trump inappropriately touched her "like an octopus" during a flight from Connecticut to New York. According to Leeds, a flight attendant upgraded her to first-class, escorting her to an open seat next to Trump. Once they were airborne, Trump raised the seat divider, grabbed her chest, and attempted to move one of his hands up her skirt, she said.

What Trump said: Trump told a the Times reporter asking about the incident that "none of this ever took place" before calling her a "disgusting human being." One of his attorneys Tuesday morning demanded an immediate retraction and an apology from the paper. High-ranking sources in the Trump campaign tell CNN's Brian Stelter and Dylan Byers the campaign has started drafting a lawsuit.

Mindy McGillivray

When it allegedly happened: 2003

Where it allegedly happened: The Mar-a-Lago Club

What she said: Mindy McGillivray, a 36-year-old Palm Springs, Florida, resident, told the Palm Beach Post that Trump groped her 13 years ago when she was assisting a photographer hired to work a concert at the club. "This was a pretty good nudge. More of a grab,'' she said. "It was pretty close to the center of my butt. I was startled. I jumped.''

What Trump said: Like with the New York Times, Trump campaign sources have told CNN's Brian Stelter and Dylan Byers the campaign is drafting a lawsuit against the Florida newspaper.

Rachel Crooks

When it allegedly happened: 2006

Where it allegedly happened: Outside a Trump Tower elevator

What she said: Eleven years ago, Bayrock Group receptionist Rachel Crooks greeted Trump outside a elevator in the building where they both worked. She said she attempted to be cordial to one of her company's business partners. But after saying hello and shaking hands, she claims Trump kissed her on her cheeks and then on the mouth. "It was so inappropriate," she told the New York Times. "I was so upset that he thought I was so insignificant that he could do that."

What Trump said: Jason Miller, a Trump spokesman, called The New York Times article "fiction" on Wednesday night. "For the New York Times to launch a completely false, coordinated character assassination against Mr. Trump on a topic like this is dangerous," Miller said in a statement, which reacted to both claims. "To reach back decades in an attempt to smear Mr. Trump trivializes sexual assault, and it sets a new low for where the media is willing to go in its efforts to determine this election."

Natasha Stoynoff

When it allegedly happened: 2005

Where it allegedly happened: The Mar-a-Lago Club

What she said: During an assignment to cover Trump's one-year wedding anniversary to his wife, Melania, People magazine writer Natasha Stoynoff claims the now-presidential candidate pushed her against a wall, started "forcing his tongue" down her throat, and physically attacked her during a tour of the place. "Now, I'm a tall, strapping girl who grew up wrestling two giant brothers. I even once sparred with Mike Tyson. It takes a lot to push me. But Trump is much bigger — a looming figure — and he was fast, taking me by surprise and throwing me off balance," she wrote.

What Trump said: Trump's campaign, which has not responded to CNN's request for comment, told People that the incident never happened. "There is no merit or veracity to this fabricated story," a spokeswoman said.

Anonymous

When it allegedly happened: 2010

Where it allegedly happened: Trump Tower

What she said: According to CNN's Erin Burnett, Trump suggested her friend, who was with him in a Trump Tower boardroom, take some Tic Tacs. Then he leaned in to kiss her on the lips, which caught her off guard. "I was really freaked out," the woman later told Burnett. After that, Trump invited her into his office alone. He told the woman she was "special" and proceeded to give her his cell phone number. "I ran the hell out of there," the friend told Burnett.

What Trump said: The Trump campaign has not responded to CNN's request for comment.

Temple Taggart

When it allegedly happened: 1997

Where it allegedly happened: Shreveport, Louisiana and later at Trump Tower

What she said: The former Miss Utah claims Trump gave her a non-consensual embrace and kissed her on the lips during a rehearsal for the Miss USA Pageant. The beauty contestant was 21 at the time, and Taggart says the behavior was repeated later during a meeting at Trump Tower.

"I felt awkward, and I just remember in my mind going, 'what does he think this is,'" she told CNN's Burnett. "Like, I'm thinking he's married. This is awkward for me. He's much older. This is not at all what I came here for. So, to me, it was like I hope he knows that I'm here for business. I'm not here for anything other than business."

What Trump said: "I don't even know who she is," Trump told NBC News. "She claims this took place in a public area. I never kissed her. I emphatically deny this ridiculous claim."

Kristin Anderson

When it allegedly happened: Early 1990s

Where it allegedly happened: A Manhattan nightclub

What she said: Today Anderson is a photographer, but back then she was an aspiring model. She told the Washington Post she was sitting on a couch and talking to friends when, as the Washington Post describes it, "his fingers slid under her miniskirt, moved up her inner thigh, and touched her vagina through her underwear." She didn't know Trump, but says she recognized him instantly when she pulled away. CNN has not independently confirmed the claim.

What Trump said: "It is illogical and nonsensical to think Donald Trump was alone in a nightclub in Manhattan and that the alleged incident and recognition of Mr. Trump went unnoticed by both the woman involved and anyone else in this 'crowded' venue,'" said Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks, who said it was a "political attack designed to take down Mr. Trump."

Summer Zervos

When it allegedly happened: 2007

Where it allegedly happened: The Beverly Hills Hotel

What she said: A former Apprentice contestant, Zervos said Trump first kissed her during a meeting in New York, but she was still interested in getting a job at The Trump Organization. She met Trump for dinner in Los Angeles and says that she was escorted into a room next to where he was getting dressed. Zervos claims he later kissed her "very aggressively and placed his hand on my breast." Zervos said she still had dinner with Trump and later called him to inquire about getting a job. She made the allegations during a press conference with the attorney Gloria Allred. CNN has not independently verified this claim.

What Trump said: "I vaguely remember Ms. Zervos as one of the many contestants on The Apprentice over the years," Trump said in a statement. "To be clear, I never met her at a hotel or greeted her inappropriately a decade ago. That is not who I am as a person, and it is not how I've conducted my life. In fact, Ms. Zervos continued to contact me for help, emailing my office on April 14th of this year asking that I visit her restaurant in California."

Cathy Heller

When it allegedly happened: 1997

Where it allegedly happened: Trump's Mar-A-Lago Club

What she said: Heller, now 63, says she met Trump at Mar-a-Lago almost 20 years ago during a Mother's Day brunch, she told The Guardian newspaper. Heller said she had been introduced to Trump by her mother-in-law. She says Trump "took my hand, and grabbed me, and went for the lips," without her consent. She said Trump held her in place and kissed her. The Guardian reported that it spoke to a friend who Heller told about the incident and a relative who witnessed part of it. CNN has not been able to independently confirm Heller's claims.

What Trump said: Jason Miller, a spokesman for Trump's campaign, said in a statement there was "no way" Heller's account is true. "The media has gone too far in making this false accusation," Miller said in a statement. "There is no way that something like this would have happened in a public place on Mother's Day at Mr. Trump's resort. It would have been the talk of Palm Beach for the past two decades. The reality is this: for the media to wheel out a politically motivated Democratic activist with a legal dispute against this same resort owned by Mr. Trump does a disservice to the public, and anyone covering this story should be embarrassed for elevating this bogus claim."

Jill Harth

When it allegedly happened: 1992-1993

Where it allegedly happened: A Manhattan nightclub and later at Trump's Mar-A-Lago Club

What she said: Harth and her then-boyfriend, George Houraney, entered into a business venture with Donald Trump which included holding an event at one of the real estate magnate's Atlantic City casinos. Donald Trump made unwanted sexual advances towards her, including groping her under her skirt on two different occasions in 1992 and 1993 during their initial meetings, according to Harth's lawyer, Lisa Bloom.

What Trump said: Trump's spokeswoman, Hope Hicks, said in a statement to CNN: "Mr. Trump denies each and every statement made by Ms. Harth. These 24 year old allegations lack any merit or veracity, as evidenced by her repeated requests for employment, attempts to seek out Mr. Trump, and her support of Mr. Trump's candidacy."  The Trump campaign has shared emails from Harth, the last one from January of this year, in which she thanks Trump and offers up her support for his presidential run.

Jessica Drake

When it allegedly happened: 2006

Where it allegedly happened: In a hotel suite at a charity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe, Nevada

What she said: Drake, an adult film performer and director, said he invited her to his suite and she brought two other women because she did not feel comfortable attending alone. She said he hugged and kissed each of them without permission. Drake said she left after 30-45 minutes but later received a phone call from Trump, who asked her to return and go out to dinner or attend a party with him. When she declined, he offered her $10,000 and use of his private jet if she accepted. At a news conference on October 22, Drake's lawyer displayed a photo of Trump and Drake together.

What Trump said: The Trump campaign issued a statement that said in part: "This story is totally false and ridiculous. The picture is one of thousands taken out of respect for people asking to have their picture taken with Mr. Trump. Mr. Trump does not know this person, does not remember this person and would have no interest in ever knowing her. This is just another attempt by the Clinton campaign to defame a candidate who just today is number one in three different polls."

Karena Virginia

When it allegedly happened: 1998

Where it allegedly happened: Outside the US Open

What she said: While waiting for car service outside the US Open, Virginia said, Trump "walked up to me and reached his right arm and grabbed my right arm. Then his hand touched the right inside of my breast. I was in shock. I flinched. 'Don't you know who I am? Don't you know who I am?' That is what he said to me."

What Trump said: The White House has dismissed the validity of the claim, calling Virginia's lawyer, Gloria Allred a "discredited political operative," according to The New York Times.

Ninni Laaksonen

When it allegedly happened: 2006

Where it allegedly happened: At an event outside the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City

What she said: Laaksonen, the former Miss Finland, accused Trump of grabbing her butt before an appearance on CBS' "The Late Show with David Letterman."

"Before the show we were photographed outside the building," Laaksonen told The Telegraph, a British newspaper. "Trump stood right next to me and suddenly he squeezed my butt. He really grabbed my butt."

What Trump said: Trump has not spoken out specifically about Laaksonen but he has called all sexual misconduct allegations "totally false" and threatened to sue women accusing him of any improper sexual behavior.

Alva Johnson

When it allegedly happened: August 2016

Where it allegedly happened: A Trump campaign RV in Florida

What she said: Lawyers for Johnson, a former Trump campaign worker, say Trump came into the RV and provided some motivational words. When Secret Service alerted the presidential candidate he was due for his next rally, he allegedly grasped her hand and praised her efforts, tightening his grip and leaning toward her. "Ms. Johnson suddenly realized that Defendant Trump was trying to kiss her on the mouth, and attempted to avoid this by turning her head to the right. Defendant Trump kissed her anyway, and the kiss landed on the corner of her mouth," a lawsuit, which was dismissed in June 2019, according to the Tampa Bay Times, states.

What Trump said: Trump's lawyers urged for the case to be dismissed. While it was dismissed earlier this month, the judge in the case said Johnson's lawyers could file an amended complaint.

E. Jean Carroll

When it allegedly happened: 1995 or 1996

Where it allegedly happened: The Bergdorf Goodman department store in New York City

What she said: In excerpts in her new book, Carroll claims that she encountered Trump at the department store where she says he attacked her in one of the dressing rooms after pressing her to try on lingerie and pulling her toward the dressing room. She alleged he "unzips his pants, and, forcing his fingers around my private area, thrusts his penis halfway — or completely, I'm not certain — inside me." She says she fought against Trump.

What Trump said: Trump accused Carroll of sharing her account to boost book sales, comparing her to women who he says "falsely accused" Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault during his contentious confirmation hearings. He also implied that Democrats could be involved in Carroll's "false accusations" but did not offer any details as to how, and Carroll on Monday denied any political affiliation or motivation.

Additionally, the President said in a statement released on Friday that he "never met this person," though the article published that same day includes a photo of Trump and Carroll talking in a group. After seeing the photo, Trump maintained that he doesn't know who she is.

A man convicted of associating with ISIS terrorists has been re-arrested in Sydney, accused of breaching his Control Order, just two weeks after his release from prison.

The 25-year-old was arrested by specialist terror officers from the Australian Federal Police in the northern Sydney suburb of Denistone this morning.

The AFP allege the man accessed material online that supported the carrying out of executions, beheadings and torture.

He has been charged with three counts of breaching his Federal Court of Australia Control Order – an offence that comes with a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

Control Orders are part of national security legislation designed to prevent terrorist attacks by placing strict conditions and monitoring on convicted terrorists or those who have engaged in hostile activity overseas.

The man was released on January 1, under a court order set to remain in place until December 30.

"The man has an extremist ideology aligned to the ISIS terror network," the AFP's Acting Commander of Enduring Risk Investigations Alex Nicholson said.

"We will allege the man failed to comply with a condition of his control order by accessing material online that supported the carrying out of executions, beheading and torture, less than two weeks since his release from jail."

The man was denied bail in court today.

The AFP's High Risk Terrorist Offender are responsible for monitoring those subject to Control Orders.

Anyone with information about extremist activity or possible threats to the community should call the National Security Hotline on 1800 123 400.

The Australian Government has scheduled an additional 20 flights to bring Australians home from overseas, with passengers to be selected from "priority" areas.

Acting Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Birmingham today confirmed that the extra flights will follow the strictest COVID-19 protocols, including quarantine camps in the Northern Territory.

To date, Mr Birmingham said almost half a million Australians have been flown home on federally-financed flights since international borders were closed.

READ MORE: Coronavirus cases put Australian Open players into strict quarantine

"Throughout this course we've been very mindful that Australians overseas have sought to come home," Mr Birmingham said.

"I'm very pleased to say since March, 446,000 Australians have made that journey home.

"We are scheduling a further 20 scheduled flights to bring Australians home, with a focus on priority areas."

READ MORE: Victoria eases border restrictions for Brisbane, with Sydney set to follow

Mr Birmingham said in the past 24 hours, Australia had recorded just one new case of COVID-19. Globally, more than 730,000 cases were recorded in the same time frame.

"The COVID-19 situation worldwide continues to be enormously challenging, as much of the world grapples with new strains and variants," Mr Birmingham said.

"Australia's success is our testament to use the advice of health officials every step of the way."

You can get up-to-date information from the Federal Government's Coronavirus Australia app, available on the App Store, Google Play and the Government's WhatsApp channel.

Beyond Blue's Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service is a 24/7 service free of charge to all Australians. Visit the site here or call 1800512348

For coronavirus breaking news alerts and livestreams straight to your smartphone sign up to the 9News app and set notifications to on at the App Store or Google Play.

New Zealand’s summer is set to be rudely interrupted with severe gales, rain and snow as two storms in the Southern Ocean track near to the country.The first storm tracks past on Sunday, followed by a second larger storm moving…

A person has been taken to hospital with critical injuries after being shot in Auckland this evening.Police said they responded to a firearms incident on Tui Rd in Papatoetoe about 6.45pm. DO YOU KNOW MORE? IF YOU DO LET US…

A plane full of Australian Open tennis players and staff has been forced into strict quarantine after two people on-board tested positive for coronavirus, a leaked email has revealed.

The flight from Los Angeles landed in Melbourne early yesterday morning and tests were conducted soon afterwards.

There were 79 people on the flight, including 67 passengers. Of those passengers, 24 are players.

COVID-19 Quarantine Victoria later confirmed the infected people were a flight crew member and a Australian Open participant who is not a player.

Under arrangements made with the Victorian government, players will be subject to the 14-day quarantine but will be allowed five hours out of their rooms each day to train.

Now nobody aboard that flight will be allowed to leave their rooms for the whole two weeks.

"We know this is not how you imagined your preparations for the AO would start but our entire team is here to support and do everything we can to get your through this," the email sent from Tennis Australia read.

"The most important thing you need to know right now is you are not alone in this and we are here to provide you any extra support you need."

Among the passengers aboard Qatar Airways Flight QR7493 are believed to be Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens and Kei Nishikori.

"The aircrew member and the passenger have been interviewed and transferred to a health hotel as per normal processes for positive cases," the statement read.

"All remaining 66 passengers on the flight have been determined to be close contacts. Any players and support people will not be able to leave quarantine to attend training."

All passengers will be undergoing the routine testing that applies to all international arrivals.

"The passengers who have been designated close contacts will be unable to access training and will undertake a standard 14-day quarantine period," the statement read.

"Players are being supported to access equipment for their hotel rooms to help them maintain their fitness during this time."

Australian Open Tournament Director Craig Tiley said organisers are in constant communication with everyone who was onboard.

"We are communicating with everyone on this flight, and particularly the playing group whose conditions have now changed, to ensure their needs are being catered to as much as possible, and that they are fully appraised of the situation," Mr Tiley said in a statement.

"Our thoughts are with the two people who tested positive on the flight and we wish them well for their recovery."

Around 1200 elite international players and their support staff are set to arrive in Melbourne to begin their 14-day coronavirus quarantines ahead of the tournament on February 8.

Hundreds have already arrived since Thursday, flying in on chartered flights organised by the Australian Open.

All Australian Open players and officials must return a negative COVID-19 test before boarding a flight to Australia.

Two players, former world number one Andy Murray, and Grand Slam finalist Madison Keys have already had to cancel their travel plans after returning positive tests.

Victoria has recorded ten days without a local coronavirus infection.

There were three cases of coronavirus acquired overseas. It is not known if the two passengers aboard QR7493 were among yesterday's figures released this morning by Victoria's Health Department.

https://twitter.com/vika7/status/1349891643344764928

By Charlotte Cook, of RNZ . The Department of Corrections remains tight-lipped on the conditions the mosque gunman will spend the rest of his life under, but new documents reveal it consulted with international experts before the…