The Arvo Wrap: Hotel quarantine to remain, former NRL star in court, Australian Open latest

It was another Friday dominated by coronavirus today, with a National Cabinet meeting and developments on recent cases across the country.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison emerged from his meeting with the premiers and chief ministers this afternoon to declare hotel quarantine would remain the primary system for returned travellers.

But he said increased capacity in more regional facilities, in particular the NT's Howard Springs and in Toowoomba in Queensland, would be explored to house arrivals. The number of returning travellers will also rise with flight caps to be increased from February 15.

It comes after multiple transmissions between guests and workers in recent times in Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.

The Perth case triggered a snap five-day lockdown, which will end tonight after no further locally acquired cases were identified.

The lockdown came amid a devastating bushfire emergency, with 86 homes now confirmed lost in a blaze in Perth's north-east.

There was also good news for tennis fans, with all isolating Australian Open players and staff returning negative tests after a quarantine worker contracted the UK variant of coronavirus.

Elsewhere, retired NRL superstar Sam Burgess was found guilty in a NSW court of intimidating his former father-in-law at a Southern Highlands property.

The court heard Burgess confronted Mitch Hooke, the father of his former wife Phoebe, during a disagreement over child visitation rights.

Burgess was sentenced to a two-year community corrections order and a conviction was recorded.

COVID-19 latest

• Perth's five-day lockdown will end tonight after no new local cases were identified
• An investigation into an outbreak at Brisbane's Hotel Grand Chancellor has been unable to determine how the initial infection spread
• Flight caps will rise on February 15, while hotel quarantine will remain for the near future

The big stories in Australia

• The number of homes lost in the Perth Hills bushfires has risen to 86
• A Brisbane man has been charged after women were allegedly tattooed, forced into prostitution and filmed without consent
• Retired NRL star Sam Burgess has been found guilty of intimidating his former father-in-law

What else is happening around the world?

• QAnon-supporting congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene was kicked off her committees as punishment for her endorsement of conspiracy theories
• Donald Trump rejected a request to testify in his upcoming impeachment trial
• An Australian man was convicted in a US$90 million cryptocurrency scam

ASX

The S&P/ASX200 closed up today, gaining 75 points to finish at 6840.50. The gains saw the market finish 3.53 per cent up for the week.

The best performers were media giant News Corporation, which was up 13.19 per cent, and digital payment service Zip Co Limited, which was up 7.96 per cent.

British asset management group Janus Henderson was the big loser, dropping 5.63 per cent.

The Australian dollar fell slightly against the US dollar to finish at 75.9 US cents.

Most-read story of the day

Our most-read story today is on the tragic death of a mother and her unborn child in a head-on crash in Melbourne.

Tess Clark, 34, died in hospital after the collision in Pakenham South yesterday.

She was due to give birth her baby Asher in just three weeks.

Most-engaged social media post

Today in History

Weather

Sport

The Australian Open is set to go ahead as scheduled on Monday after this week's COVID-19 scare.

A worker in hotel quarantine tested positive to the UK variant this week, with more than 500 players and staff sent into isolation after they were deemed casual contacts.

But all have since tested negative, with Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley vowing the tournament will begin as planned on Monday with crowds in attendance.

The lead-in Summer Series events will be completed over the weekend, while the tournament draw is being held this afternoon.

Quiz and crossword

If you've been playing close attention, try our quizzical on the news of the week.

Or if you're looking for something to take your mind off the news, have a crack at the nine.com.au crossword here.