COVID-19: New South Wales introduces cap for Sydney Airport arrivals, 'significant disruption' anticipated

The Australian state of New South Wales has slapped restrictions on the number of international travellers arriving in Sydney due to "significant pressure" on quarantine capacity.

NSW, Australia's most populous state, said that from Saturday a passenger limit of 50 people per flight and 450 people per day will be imposed at Sydney Airport, due to international flights into Melbourne being suspended.

Foreign flights into Melbourne were canned for two weeks following a spike in COVID-19 cases, which has seen several of the city's suburbs go back into lockdown.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison was asked if flights into Melbourne could be diverted to other cities for the next fortnight, said Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews.

Smart Traveller Australia is urging travellers heading to Sydney to check their itineraries and travel plans with airlines.

"Sydney is experiencing significant pressure on quarantine capacity. We anticipate disruption to international flights into Sydney," the Australian High Commission in the UK said in a statement.

Australia has recorded 8255 COVID-19 cases as of Saturday - 832 currently active - and deputy chief medical officer Prof Michael Kidd said the number of new cases in Victoria continues to be significant, with another 66 reported on Friday and 77 on Thursday.

"We continue to be very concerned about the outbreak in Victoria and the continuing cases of community transmission," he told reporters.