Melbourne, March 24 - Legendary Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne has called for "clear rules" and a lockdown in the country to combat the increasing threat of coronavirus which has so far taken eight lives.

"I know it's impossible to please everyone as PM at the moment, but surely clear rules and lockdown for Australia as of NOW is the only decision -- end of. Let's learn from the mistakes other countries have made. Health has to be the most important thing for everyone !" Warne said in a tweet.

"Listening to the PM like everyone here in Aust & what I understood was. It's essential. Unless it's not. Then it's essentially not essential. I can't be clearer" Plus people can buy a new shirt at a shopping centre ? WTF? PM just had a shocker. Surely should be in lockdown now," he added.

The COVID-19 pandemic has already claimed over 16,000 lives across the world.

A 70-year-old woman succumbed to the deadly virus at a local hospital here on Tuesday.

In a bid to curb the spread of the virus, Australia have closed borders to non-citizens recently and issued a travel ban.

Warne had previously stated that his gin distillery, SevenZeroEight, has decided to produce hand sanitisers for hospitals.

IANS