It's been three years since the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus outbreak a public health emergency of international concern.
At the time much of the focus of the outbreak was on Wuhan, the Chinese city where the first cases were detected.
In the space of a few weeks, Australians were told to stay at home, businesses closed and the country shut its borders to the rest of the world.
Here's a look back at key moments from a three-month period which turned the world upside-down.
January 1
Wuhan seafood market identified and shut
The Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market in Wuhan, where the virus is believed to have originated, is shut down and put under investigation.
Reports find that the "wet market" sells dozens of types of wildlife meat — some of it illegal.
The list includes wolf cubs, hedgehogs, civets, crocodiles, giant salamanders and peacocks, among 112 exotic items, according to news agency AFP.
January 7
Coronavirus declared and named 2019-nCoV
Chinese authorities confirm they have identified the novel virus, named 2019-nCoV.
The term comes from the corona, or crown, of surface proteins that the virus uses to penetrate the cells of the infected human.
January 9
China's first coronavirus death
The first death, of a 61-year-old man from Wuhan, is linked to the pneumonia-like illness.
However, this is not reported in Chinese state media until January 11.
The WHO reports that "according to Chinese authorities, the virus in question can cause severe illness in some patients and does not transmit readily between people".
January 25
Australia records its first case
The first case of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is confirmed by Victoria health authorities on the morning of January 25.
The patient is a man from Wuhan, who flew to Melbourne from Guandong on January 19.
The federal government raises travel advice for the province of Hubei, which includes the city of Wuhan, in China to the highest level, due to the threat posed by the coronavirus.
The level four warning urges Australians not to travel to the region.
January 30
The WHO declares a global health emergency
The coronavirus outbreak is officially declared a "public health emergency of international concern" (PHEIC) by the WHO.
The WHO defines this as "an extraordinary event" that "constitutes a public health risk to other states through the international spread of the disease", and potentially requires "a coordinated international response".
February 1
China travel ban
Then-prime minister Scott Morrison calls a press conference to announce travel restrictions.
People who had left or transited through China are banned from entering Australia.
However, Australian citizens, permanent residents or their immediate family members and aircrews are exempt from the ban.
Australia's travel advice is updated to "do not travel" to mainland China.
People who have recently returned from China are asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
Racist attacks on Asians in Australia
ABC journalist Iris Zhao wrote an article describing the experiences of racism she and other people with Asian ancestry encountered as the COVID threat grew.
"I was standing in a supermarket aisle and moving my shopping trolley to make room for a middle-aged woman to pass when I overheard it: 'Asians … stay home … stop spreading the virus''," she wrote.
Her article included several anecdotes or similar experiences including surgeon Rhea Liang, who said one of her patients joked about not shaking her hand because of coronavirus.
"Of course it's understandable that all humans share a fear of death and as a result feel concerned about associating with people from a country where most infections have taken place," Zhao wrote.
"But as I experienced in the supermarket this week, the coronavirus has really brought out the worst in people.
"And that is really not OK."
February 2
First evacuation flight from China
Australia's first chartered Qantas evacuation flight leaves Wuhan with 243 passengers on board.
Fitted with special medical-grade filters, the plane lands in Western Australia at Exmouth's RAAF Base Learmonth before evacuees are taken to Christmas Island for 14 days of quarantine.
To accommodate the evacuees, the Christmas Island Detention Centre is repurposed to act as a temporary quarantine station.
February 5
Australians test positive on the Diamond Princess
Two Australians are among 10 people who test positive to the virus on the cruise ship Diamond Princess.
Nearly 4,000 passengers and crew are put into a mandatory two-week quarantine on the ship, which is docked in the Japanese port of Yokohama.
February 9
Evacuated Australians taken to Howard Springs
The federal government charters another flight to bring Australians stranded in Wuhan back home, with 266 passengers landing in Darwin.
They are taken to a disused workers' camp at Howard Springs outside Darwin, which will later become a key quarantine facility for international evacuees.
People on two other evacuation flights from Wuhan — one organised by Australia, the other by New Zealand — spend their quarantine at Christmas Island.
February 11
WHO names disease COVID-19
The WHO replaces "the coronavirus", "the novel coronavirus" or "2019-nCoV" with an all-encompassing new term.
"CO" signifies corona, "VI" means virus, "D" stands for disease, and "19" represents 2019 — the year it was first detected.
The virus itself is named severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the disease isn't just a concern for China.
"With 99 per cent of cases in China, this remains very much an emergency for that country, but one that holds a very grave threat for the rest of the world," he warns.
February 13
China travel ban extended
The travel ban on foreign nationals who had been in China is extended two days before it is due to expire.
Mr Morrison says while this new ban is due to expire on February 22, it will be reviewed.
"We did not take this decision lightly, we are very mindful also of the disruption and economic impacts of these arrangements," he said.
"But I note Australia is one of 58 countries that has introduced some form of travel restrictions."
February 19
Almost 100,000 Chinese students locked out by ban
Universities Australia estimates almost 100,000 Chinese students are unable to fly into Australia to resume or begin their studies at Australian institutions.
February 20
China travel ban extended again
The National Security Committee, a federal government cabinet committee tasked with handling matters related to Australia's security, extends the ban by another week, moving the expiration date from February 22 to February 29.
Australian Diamond Princess passengers evacuated
About 180 Australians land in Darwin after the federal government charters a flight to evacuate them from Japan, where the cruise ship remains docked.
Despite already being quarantined aboard the ship, the group is required to undergo a further 14-days in isolation at Darwin's Howard Springs.
February 27
Government activates emergency response
Mr Morrison says he is elevating Australia's response because "the risk of global pandemic is very much upon us".
At a press conference, Mr Morrison and then-health minister Greg Hunt says the scope of the emergency response will be escalated according to the spread of the disease.
In a worst-case scenario, this will include:
- Cancellation of large gatherings
- People having to work from home
- Elective surgeries being suspended
- Intensive care bed numbers increased
- Mortuary services prioritised
- Aged care homes locked down
- Childcare centres closed
Mr Morrison says the present situation does not yet warrant those measures:
"There is no need for us to be moving towards not having mass gatherings of people.
"You can still go to the football, you can still go to the cricket
"You can still go and play with your friends down the street.
"You can go after the concert and you can go out for a Chinese meal.
"You can do all of these things because Australia has acted quickly."
China travel ban extended for a third time
At this point, the government says the ban will last until March 7, but the decision will be reviewed within seven days.
February 29
Iran added to travel ban
Iran has officially recorded 388 cases of coronavirus and 34 deaths — which is the highest COVID mortality rate outside China at this point.
There is uncertainty about the legitimacy of these figures, with the BBC reporting the death toll in Iran could exceed 200.
March 1
Australian records its first COVID-19 death
An elderly Perth man who spent time on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship becomes the first Australian to die from coronavirus.
The 78-year-old man and his 79-year-old wife were among the 3,700 people — including 164 Australians — on board the cruise ship when cases began to emerge.
March 3
RBA slashes interest rates to 0.5%
The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) decides to cut the cash rate by 0.25 percentage points in a bid to contain the economic fallout from the outbreak.
It had been at 0.75 per cent.
Despite being a record low, RBA governor Philip Lowe says the board will go further if the outbreak continues to worsen.
"The board is prepared to ease monetary policy further to support the Australian economy," he says.
PM meets supermarkets over panic buying
Mr Morrison speaks with Coles and Woolworths executives about the surge in demand for toilet paper, tissues and hand sanitiser.
Images of bare supermarket shelves circulate widely on social media, with supermarkets warning about shortages due to high demand.
March 4
Woolworths puts limit on toilet paper
Customers are only able to buy a maximum of four packets of loo rolls in store or online after panic buying leaves supermarket shelves stripped bare.
Then-chief medical officer Professor Brendan Murphy says the rush to buy toilet paper isn't necessary.
"We are trying to reassure people that removing all of the lavatory paper from supermarkets probably isn't a proportionate or sensible thing to do," he says.
March 5
South Korea added to travel ban list
People who have been in China, Iran and South Korea are unable to come to Australia unless they are citizens, permanent residents, or their immediate family members.
The official advice for South Korea is also upgraded, with the government telling Australians to reconsider their need to travel there.
The ban is supposed to last until March 14.
People travelling from Italy also face temperature checks and questioning upon entry to Australia, but the government stops short of a travel ban.
March 7
Cases surpass 100,000
At this point, more than 102,000 people have been infected worldwide.
There have been more than 3,500 deaths globally.
March 11
WHO first describes COVID as a pandemic
The move comes as figures from Italy show the death rate among coronavirus patients was more than 6 per cent — much higher than the global average of the time of 3.6 per cent.
Dr Tedros says the number of cases outside of China has increased 13-fold in the fortnight leading to this point.
"We are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity and by the alarming levels of inaction," he said.
"We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterised as a pandemic."
A pandemic isn't an official declaration as such, because the WHO had already classified COVID-19 as a public health emergency of international concern — which is the WHO's highest level of alarm.
But while "pandemic" is just a term used to describe a disease spreading across a large geographic area, Dr Tedros says it is "not a word to use lightly or carelessly".
Italy added to Australia's travel ban
This comes after more than 10,000 new cases are reported in Italy — making it the largest outbreak outside mainland China.
Foreign nationals who have been in Italy, mainland China, Iran and South Korea aren't allowed into Australia for 14 days from the time they left those countries.
The government says the travel bans will last until March 14, but will consider the need to extend them.
March 12
Stimulus payments announced
Mr Morrison and then-treasurer Josh Frydenberg announce a $17.6 billion COVID-19 stimulus package, targeting five major groups:
- Welfare recipients: an extra $750 per person
- Small businesses with apprentices: up to $21,000 to keep apprentices in work through wage subsidies
- Small to medium-sized businesses: between $2,000 and $25,000 to help with cashflow
- Businesses generally (excluding the very largest): the instant asset write-off threshold raised to $150,000 and an extra depreciation discount to encourage investment
- Affected businesses: access to a new $1 billion fund
Government concedes it will not deliver a budget surplus
Ahead of the 2019 federal election, the Coalition government had forecast a budget surplus of $7.1 billion, which was then revised down to $5 billion.
But in light of the financial impact fo the pandemic, then-finance minister Mathias Cormann confirms there is "obviously not going to be a surplus year in 2019-20".
Tom Hanks tests positive in Australia
Hollywood actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson test positive for coronavirus while staying at the Gold Coast in Queensland.
Hanks is in Australia for the filming of Baz Lurhman's Elvis biopic.
March 13
Australian Grand Prix cancelled at the last minute
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews holds a press conference declaring that the motorsport event will not go ahead with spectators present, with Australian Grand Prix Corporation chairman Paul Little later announcing the event has been cancelled.
But fans are already lining up at the gates — with some travelling from as far as Brazil.
Here's video of an official announcing the cancellation.
Gatherings of more than 500 people cancelled
Earlier the same day — which was a Friday — Mr Morrison and then-opposition leader Anthony Albanese had both said they planned to go to the football over the weekend.
But after a Council of Australian Governments (COAG), Mr Morrison calls a press conference and announces that all non-essential gatherings of more than 500 people are now banned.
He says the change will not come into effect until after the weekend.
The prime minister warns it might be the last time he can attend a game, with supporters likely to have to watch matches on the television after this weekend.
"I do still plan to go to the football on Saturday," Mr Morrison says.
But by the end of the day, footy plans were off — as both Mr Morrison and Mr Albanese scrap their plans to attend matches.
China no longer the 'epicentre' of pandemic
At this point, more than 132,000 cases of COVID-19 have been reported to WHO, with cases in 123 countries and territories.
The global death toll has passed 5,000.
Italy has recorded more than 15,000 cases, and more than 1,000 deaths.
"Europe has now become the epicentre of the pandemic, with more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China," WHO's director-general Dr Tedros says.
"More cases are now being reported every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic."
Peter Dutton tests positive
The then-home affairs minister had been at a federal cabinet meeting earlier in the week, but under health advice at the time only people he had been in contact with 24-hours before developing symptoms need to self-isolate.
This means the prime minister and cabinet ministers do not have to quarantine.
Sophie Trudeau, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, also tests positive for coronavirus.
March 16
Australian share market plummets
The ASX 200 index drops 9.7 per cent — its worst day since at least the global financial crisis.
The All Ordinaries index sees its largest one-day fall since the 1987 stock market crash, losing $165 billion in value.
March 18
Australians told 'do not travel' abroad
For the first time in history, Australia's official travel advice for every country in the world is upgraded to "do not travel".
"Don't go overseas," Mr Morrison says.
Indoor gatherings limited to 100 people
Mr Morrison also announces another round of tighter restrictions, including:
- Aged care: Residents of aged care homes are only be able to have one visit per day, of no more than two people
- Gatherings: Indoor gatherings of more than 100 people are banned, outdoor gatherings limited to 500 people
- Schools: To remain open, for now
March 19
PM announces the closure of Australia's border
Mr Morrison says all non-citizens and non-residents will be banned from arriving in Australia from 9pm the following day.
He says Australians and their direct family members will still be able to return from overseas, but they will be required to self-isolate for 14 days.
This replaces the ban that was first put in place on people travelling from China, then South Korea, Iran and Italy.
The Ruby Princess docks in Sydney
About 2,700 passengers from the cruise ship disembark in Sydney's Circular Quay, despite 13 people on board being tested for COVID-19 at the time.
They spend four days in the community before receiving NSW government advice to self-isolate due to a positive coronavirus detection.
The mismanagement of the outbreak becomes a major political issue, with subsequent reports finding failings by both the state government and the federal government.
In total, 28 COVID deaths and more than 660 cases are linked to the Ruby Princess.
RBA cuts interest rates to 0.25%
This comes two weeks after the rate was cut to 0.5 per cent.
Reserve Bank governor Philip Lowe says the bank will hold the cash rate at 0.25 per cent "until progress is being made towards full employment and it is confident that inflation will be sustainably within the 2 to 3 per cent target band".
Dr Lowe says the cash rate could be at this level for some years as it was expecting significant job losses.
March 20
Second COVID-19 stimulus package announced
The federal government announces a $66 billion package which includes:
- Small businesses receive cash payments up to $100,000
- Some welfare recipients receive another $750
- The Jobseeker Payment, previously called Newstart, is doubled
- People are allowed to access $10,000 from their superannuation in 2019-20 and 2020-21
- Unsecured small business loans up to $250,000 are guaranteed
March 22
Pubs ordered to close
After a late Sunday evening national cabinet meeting, Mr Morrison announces a major round of COVID-19 restrictions.
He condemns people who crammed onto beaches and into pubs and clubs over the weekend, and says it has forced the nation's leaders to impose harsher rules.
"When we all do not do the right thing, then it has real implications for others," he says.
This means the closure of indoor venues, including:
- Pubs
- Clubs
- Cinemas
- Nightclubs
- Casinos
- Sporting venues
- Religious venues
Restaurants and cafes are only be allowed to offer takeaway services.
Then-chief medical officer Brendan Murphy says the consensus view of the nation's health officials is that schools should remain open.
March 24
Wedding and funeral limits imposed as restrictions extended
The federal government expands the definition of closures announced two days earlier, with Mr Morrison announcing a wide-ranging string of bans on non-essential activities.
This applies to:
- Amusement parks and arcades
- Indoor and outdoor play centres
- Community and recreation centres, health clubs, fitness centres, yoga, barre, spin facilities, saunas, wellness centres
- Public swimming pools
- Galleries, museums, national institutions, historic sites, libraries, community centres
- Auction houses
- Real estate auctions and open house inspections
- Instore beauty therapy, tanning, waxing, nail salons and tattoo parlours, spa and massage parlours (excluding allied-health-related services, such as physiotherapy)
New limits:
- Hairdressers and barber shops: customers are not allowed on the premises for longer than 30 minutes
- Personal training and boot camps: limited to a maximum of 10 people
- Weddings: can only continue with the couple, the celebrant, and witnesses totalling a maximum of five people
- Funerals: limited to a maximum of 10 people
- Food courts: will only be able to sell takeaway
This is also when Mr Morrison apparently first encounters the term "barre", which is a dance-based fitness class.
Australians banned from travelling overseas
Mr Morrison says the number of people travelling overseas was very low but there are some people who continue to defy the "do not travel" warning issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
He said the warning would "turn into a ban".
However exceptions will be made for aid workers and compassionate, work-related and other essential travel, he says.
Tokyo Olympics officially postponed
The International Olympic Committee announces that the Tokyo 2020 Olympics will be postponed by one year.
Australia had already said it would not attend the games if held in July 2020.
March 26
Half a million cases recorded worldwide
There have now been 500,000 infections worldwide.
The United Nations launches a $US2 billion COVID-19 Global Humanitarian Response Plan to help the most vulnerable countries.
March 27
UK's PM tests positive
Britain's then-prime minister Boris Johnson tests positive for coronavirus.
At the time, he said he had "mild symptoms" and was working from home.
His condition deteriorates weeks later, with the British leader spending three nights in intensive care before recovering in late April.
Hotel quarantine announced
Mr Morrison announces mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine for all international arrivals.
The prime minister says Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel will be brought in to support state and territory police in enforcing quarantine and self-isolation rules.
The move sees the end of the ADF's Operation Bushfire Assist, which was set up in the wake of the 2019/2020 bushfires, as the force pivots to coronavirus response.
March 29
Gatherings limited to two people
After another Sunday national cabinet meeting, Mr Morrison says people can only be with members of their households or one person from another household.
He also says playgrounds, outside gyms and skate parks will close.
The rules for weddings and funerals remain the same — with weddings limited to five people and funerals restricted to 10.
Landlords banned from evicting tenants
Mr Morrison says states and territories will ban landlords from evicting tenants experiencing financial hardship due to coronavirus for six months:
"My message to tenants, particularly commercial tenants and commercial landlords, is a very straightforward one — we need you to sit down, talk to each other … and come up with arrangements that enable them [businesses] to get through this crisis."
Federal government launches official COVID app
Not the COVIDSafe contact tracing app, which would come later — this app is set up to give Australians COVID-19 updates and advice.
The unveiling of the COVIDSafe app in mid April is touted as Australia's ticket out of lockdowns. Weeks later, more than a million people download it within hours of its release.
"It's another tool we need to get back to normal as much as we can," Mr Morrison says.
But in September 2021, it is revealed the app has only identified 17 close contacts not found by state officials — and it is scrapped in August, 2022.
