Updated March 26, 2020 01:14:47

Photo: Royal Caribbean's The Voyager of the Seas cruise ship. (ABC News: Jesse Dorsett)

A Queensland man has died from coronavirus, taking Australia's COVID-19 death toll to nine.

The 68-year-old from Toowoomba was infected while on board a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that docked in Sydney last week.

Garry Kirstenfield was being treated in an intensive care unit of a Toowoomba hospital but died on Wednesday afternoon.

Mr Kirstenfield's wife is in self-isolation along with all of his immediate family.

His family described him as "kind and adorable".

In a statement Queensland Health said Mr Kirstenfield had a "serious underlying medical condition before contracting the virus".

"Queensland Health offers its sincere condolences to his family."

The news comes after it was confirmed over a dozen guests at a Noosa birthday party have tested positive for COVID-19 in what Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said is a prime example of why people must stay at home.

The party-goers celebrated at Sails Restaurant last week before returning to their homes across the state.

Breaking down the latest news and research to understand how the world is living through an epidemic, this is the ABC's Coronacast.

Four staff who served guests have also tested positive to the infection and the restaurant has since been closed.

"This is how coronavirus can spread," Ms Palaszczuk said on Wednesday.

"It is a very clear signal to everyone that this is now not the time to socialise, it is the time to keep your distance.

"I think this is a really clear example for everyone about why we can no longer have parties."

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Queensland continues to climb, with the state total at 443 on Wednesday night, while Australia-wide there are over 2,364 confirmed cases.

ABC/AAP

Topics: infectious-diseases-other, respiratory-diseases, covid-19, qld, australia, toowoomba-4350

First posted March 25, 2020 21:05:03