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The international arrivals area at Kingsford Smith International Airport in Sydney, Australia. (File photo: Reuters) - 

Australian citizens and residents who have been in India within 14 days of the date they plan to return home will be banned from entering Australia as of Monday (May 3) and those who disobey will face fines and jail, government officials said.

The temporary emergency determination, issued late on Friday, is the first time Australia has made it a criminal offence for its citizens to return home.

The restrictions come into effect from May 3 and breaching the ban risks civil penalties and up to five years imprisonment, Health Minister Greg Hunt said in a statement.

"The government does not make these decisions lightly," Hunt said." However, it is critical the integrity of the Australian public health and quarantine systems is protected and the number of COVID-19 cases in quarantine facilities is reduced to a manageable level."

The government will reconsider the restrictions on May 15.India's coronavirus death toll passed 200,000 this week, and cases are nearing 19 million - nearly 8 million since February - as virulent new strains have combined with "super-spreader" events such as political rallies and religious festivals.

Australia, which has no community transmissions, on Tuesday introduced a temporary suspension of direct flights from India to prevent more virulent COVID-19 variants entering the country.Australia has all but stamped out the coronavirus after closing its borders to non-citizens and permanent residents in March 2020, recording just 29,800 cases and 910 deaths//CNA