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 grand jury has charged 18 people with allegedly participating in an Arizona fake elector scheme to re-elect then-US President Donald Trump in 2020, the state's attorney general said on Wednesday.
Australian police said on Thursday they charged five teenagers with terrorism-related offences in investigations following the stabbing of an Assyrian Christian bishop while he was giving a livestreamed sermon earlier this month.
India is inspecting facilities of spice makers MDH and Everest for compliance with quality standards after sales of some of their products were halted in Hong Kong and Singapore for allegedly containing high levels of a cancer-causing pesticide.
Israel is poised to send troops into Rafah, the Gazan city it sees as the last bastion of Hamas, Israeli media reported on Wednesday, saying preparations were under way to evacuate war-displaced Palestinian civilians who have been sheltering there.