Australia recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic today as the government urged hot spot Victoria state to announce its plans to lift a lockdown on the country’s second-largest city. Victoria’s health department reported 41 deaths from the coronavirus and 73 new infections in the latest 24-hour period. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said only eight of the 41 fatalities occurred in the latest 24-hour period. Victoria has recorded more than 19,000 infections with the coronavirus, almost 80 percent of Australia’s more than 25,000 patients, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University. The state also accounts for the vast majority of Australia’s more than 650 deaths.

Source: The Standard August 31, 2020 04:52 UTC