Victoria has a new local case of coronavirus, state health authorities said on Wednesday.

The latest case is linked to the outbreak at Epping Hospital, in Melbourne’s north, and is a close contact of a previous virus case.

They were in isolation throughout their infectious period.

Wednesday’s Victorian case comes after three days without community transmission in the southern state.

Despite the two new infections, active cases in the state have plummeted from 44 to 34 as all exposure sites linked to Victoria’s Kappa and Delta variant outbreaks were removed on Tuesday.

Tweet from @VicGovDH

Despite the easing, the Victorian government has halted plans to further relax rules for crowds to attend stadiums and theatres.

Health Minister Martin Foley said the national situation was “extremely delicately poised”  – with COVID-19 outbreaks spreading in other states.

“We are not increasing restrictions, as other states around the Australian mainland are, but what we are doing is holding them where they are to make sure that we keep Victorians safe,” he said.

Victoria has also further tightened its border rules amid the ongoing outbreaks elsewhere in Australia.

Western Australia’s Perth and Peel regions, and parts of south-east Queensland and Townsville, became red zones on Wednesday.

Any Victorian returning from those areas will need to quarantine for 14 days.

Tasmania and South Australia are now the only states without red or orange zones under Victoria’s permit system.

Elsewhere, millions of Queenslanders began their first day of a three-day lockdown amid fears a holidaying hospital worker may have spread the Delta variant of COVID-19 through Brisbane and north Queensland.

Her brother was also confirmed with the virus on Wednesday morning.

NSW Health issued more than 20 new public health alerts for venues across Sydney visited by COVID positive cases late on Tuesday. They include gyms, restaurants, shops, clubs and hotels as well as some bus routes.

Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced another 19 COVID cases on Tuesday. Stay-at-home orders for greater Sydney, Central Coast, Blue Mountains, Wollongong and Shellharbour regions remain in place until at least July 9.

The Northern Territory had two more Delta variant cases, the wife and daughter of a mine worker. The cluster linked to the mine outbreak is now at 11, with Darwin and surrounding areas locked down until Friday.

–with AAP