Virus death toll rises in Australia's Victoria state

Australia’s Victoria state has recorded 10 deaths overnight from COVID-19, its highest daily toll amid a continuing surge in coronavirus cases.State Premier Daniel Andrews told a news briefing in Melbourne that the deaths included seven men and three women.A man in his 40s became one of the youngest COVID-19 fatalities in Australia.There are 459 new infections, the 21st straight day of triple-figure increases.

The fatalities bring Victoria’s toll to 71 and Australia’s national tally to 155. A total of 228 people are hospitalized in Victoria, 42 in intensive care.Victoria processed 42,973 tests on Saturday, Andrews said, “far and away the biggest testing result that we’ve seen on a single day.”He said he is not currently planning to extend the lockdown in Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city.

(Image Credit: AP)