The Federal Government has expanded its coronavirus travel ban to include Italy.

Key points: Italy joins China, Iran and South Korea as countries facing an Australian travel ban

Italy joins China, Iran and South Korea as countries facing an Australian travel ban Australian citizens and permanent residents can return provided they isolate themselves after arrival

Australian citizens and permanent residents can return provided they isolate themselves after arrival Italy has gone into lockdown in a bid to halt the spread of COVID-19

Bans were already in place for travellers from China, Iran and South Korea, and people coming from Italy joined them from 6:00pm AEDT on Wednesday.

Foreign nationals who have been in Italy, mainland China, Iran and South Korea will not be allowed into Australia for 14 days from the time they left those countries.

Australian citizens and permanent residents travelling from those countries will be able to enter Australia, but need to isolate themselves for a fortnight.

The decision to add Italy to the list is a reversal from last week, when Australia added extra screening for passengers from Italy but stopped short of a travel ban.

Since then, though, the situation in Italy has worsened, with more than 10,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, more than 630 deaths, and the whole country being placed under restrictions.

Italy's outbreak is now the largest outside mainland China.

All the travel bans are slated to expire on Saturday, but the Government will consider the need to extend them on Thursday.

That decision will be made by Cabinet's national security committee based on an update from state and federal chief medical officers.

Australia's chief medical officer Brendan Murphy said the only people who needed to be tested for COVID-19 were those who had returned from a country with an outbreak, or people who had come into contact with someone with the illness.

"There is no point being tested at the moment if you have not travelled or if you've not been in contact [with someone with COVID-19], even if you have flu-like illnesses," he said.

"We are not saying to people who get acute respiratory symptoms, a cold or a flu, to go and get tested for COVID-19."

The Government has extended the China travel ban four times since imposing it in early February. Iran was added to the list of banned countries following a spike in cases.

In adding South Korea and not Italy last week, Mr Morrison said the Asian nation posed a greater risk to Australia because it was responsible for five times the number of passengers.

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But today he said the spike in cases in Italy had prompted the Government to change its approach.

"Italy has effectively put itself into lockdown with travel now, and this largely closes that loop," Mr Morrison said.