MELBOURNE, Australia — Australia’s coronavirus hot spot Victoria recorded 288 new cases on Friday, the largest number of any state since the pandemic began, and authorities warned the spread could worsen. Victoria, Australia’s second-most populous state after neighboring New South Wales, has been cut off with border closures by other states. All states and territories but New South Wales had eradicated community transmission of the virus, but Victoria-linked infections are spreading. Victoria hopes a second lockdown in Melbourne, the nation’s second most populous city with 5 million people, will curb the spread. The Victoria tally reflected a new record of more than 37,500 tests in a day, state Premier Daniel Andrews said.

Source: International New York Times July 10, 2020 07:52 UTC