Canberra: Australia on Monday recorded its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic amid a second wave of infections in Melbourne.
Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, reported 19 deaths on Monday, reports the BBC.
More than 100 deaths have been recorded in the state in just the past week as hospital admission rates also rise.
Victoria also reported 322 new cases on Monday, down from a high of 725 registered five days ago.
The state’s Premier Daniel Andrews said it was too early to tell if the state was at a turning point, but “we’re certainly seeing some greater stability” following the stricter measures.
“It’s always better to be lower than the previous day, but it is only one day’s data,” the BBC quoted Andrews as saying.
Meanwhile, on neighbouring New South Wales (NSW), which has seen small virus clusters in Sydney, the state government urged young people to restrict their social activities.
Queensland, which has closed its border to NSW and Victoria, said on Monday it appeared to have avoided an outbreak, two weeks after travellers brought the virus back from Melbourne.
As of Monday, Australia has reported a total of 21,084 confirmed coronavirus cases, with 295 deaths.
