COVID-19 cases rise again in two Australian states

Australia's two most populous states recorded new highs in their daily COVID-19 infection tallies on Thursday.

New South Wales reported a record 681 cases over the past 24 hours, mostly in Sydney. The previous record for New South Wales was set on Wednesday, at 633 cases.

Neighbouring Victoria reported 57 new cases, the state's highest daily tally since early September last year.

Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews said most of the new cases had been in isolation while infectious.

Melbourne and the entire state of New South Wales are in lockdown as authorities attempt to stamp out the spread of coronavirus, as Australia has successfully done throughout the pandemic before the delta variant arrived on its shores.

Melbourne is in its sixth lockdown of the pandemic and Thursday marked the 200th day that Australia's second-most populous city has been locked down.

In Sydney, a man in his 80s died overnight, bringing New South Wales' death toll from the delta outbreak first discovered in Sydney in mid-June to 61.

Just 56 people had died from COVID-19 in the state before the latest outbreak.

Australia's capital Canberra, which is surrounded by New South Wales, recorded 16 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday.