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* Genome sequencing has revealed that a Sydney quarantine hotel cleaner whose COVID-19 infection marked the end of a 26-day streak of zero cases in NSW contracted the virus at work.
* Authorities believe her infection has a US source, and she may have contracted the virus from airline crew staying in quarantine hotels.
* No more positive cases outside hotel quarantine have since been detected, but NSW Health is awaiting the test results of a small number of close contacts.
* WA Premier Mark McGowan says the latest NSW COVID-19 results are good news but a final call on when to reopen the border won't be made until Monday.
* However, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said no NSW resident should be too concerned about getting into Queensland for Christmas.
* South Australia has eased coronavirus social distancing rules for the hospitality sector despite contrary advice from the state's top health officer.
* The change comes amid growing confidence the worrying Parafield cluster of COVID-19 infections has been brought under control with no new cases reported on Friday for the sixth day in a row.
* Victoria will move to a "COVID normal" level of restrictions on Sunday, signifying the end of restrictions on community sport, hospitality venues, gatherings and visitors to the home. Mask rules will also be further relaxed.
* The Victorian government on Friday announced it will charge returned overseas travellers for their mandatory 14-day quarantine.
* Meanwhile, the detection of the virus in wastewater from two regional Victorian catchments, as well as a in the town of Colac, southwest of Melbourne.
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AUSTRALIAN CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS
* There were eight new cases recorded in Australia on Thursday - six in NSW, two in Queensland and two in WA. All bar one case in NSW are among returned travellers in hotel quarantine.
* The national death toll is 908: Victoria 820, NSW 55, 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 65,536,000
* Deaths: at least 1,511,000
* Recovered: at least 45,377,000
Data current as of 1800 AEDT December 4, taking in federal and state/territory government updates, Worldometer and Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre.
Australian Associated Press