LATEST COVID-19 DEVELOPMENTS:
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* Australia has recorded no locally-transmitted coronavirus cases for a third day in a row.
* NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has promised to ease COVID-19 restrictions in a week's time if the trend continues.
* A coalition of crossbench MPs in the NSW and Victorian parliaments have urged the prime minister to intervene and curb the power of state premiers to close borders amid the pandemic.
* In Victoria, three more people linked to the Australian Open have tested positive for coronavirus as tensions build over who will foot the bill to quarantine the tennis contingent.
* Australian Open director Craig Tiley says the Victorian government would "absolutely" be helping cover the cost but Emergency Services Minister Lisa Neville says she has "triple-checked" and he is mistaken.
* A total of 10 positive cases are now linked to the tournament.
* Victorians have also snapped up 40,000 extra regional tourism vouchers, aimed at encouraging people to holiday at home and boosting an economy ravaged by COVID-19.
* Coronavirus restrictions in Greater Brisbane are on track to be eased on Friday as the Queensland government continues to look at relocating quarantine to outback camps.
* Scott Morrison is under increasing pressure to bring more of the 38,000 Australians stranded overseas home. More than 20 chartered flights over the next few months have been organised to cut down the number.
* Federal Labor is also urging Australia's major banks to show common sense when their home loan deferral scheme comes to an end and continue to help people still suffering financial stress from the recession.
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AUSTRALIAN CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:
* There were nine new virus cases recorded in Australia on Tuesday: three in Victoria, three in NSW, two in Queensland and one in South Australia. All were diagnosed in hotel quarantine.
* The national death toll is 909: Victoria 820, NSW 56, Tasmania 13, WA 9, Queensland 6, SA 4, ACT 3. (Two Queensland residents who died in NSW have been included in the official tolls of both states).
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GLOBAL CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:
* Cases: at least 96,158,735
* Deaths: at least 2,056,996
* Recovered: at least 53,035,240.
Data current as of 1800 AEDT on January 20, taking in federal and state/territory government updates, Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre figures.
Australian Associated Press
