With little over an hour before play was due to start on day two, England's players were told not to travel to the Melbourne Cricket Ground as they awaited results of Covid tests following "a positive test in the team's family group".

England were given the all-clear to head to the MCG shortly after following negative lateral flow test results, with play getting under way 30 minutes later than scheduled.

But it was later confirmed by Cricket Australia that two members of England's support staff and two of their family members returned positive Covid-19 results from rapid testing.

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The England team will also have PCR tests on Monday, Cricket Australia said, with both teams set to take "extra precautions throughout play".

"There is currently no further impact on fans or other parts of the venue," Cricket Australia added in a statement.

"Cricket Australia and the MCC will continue to monitor the situation and follow the endorsed Victorian Government COVID-Safe Event Plan."

Pat Cummins, the Australia captain, was forced to miss the second Test in Adelaide and isolate for a week after being identified as a close contact of someone with Covid-19.

Australian authorities are battling a surge in cases driven by the Omicron variant.