MELBOURNE, (Reuters) – Australia’s Victoria state reported a record 1,438 new COVID-19 infections on Thursday, the highest number for any state since the start of the pandemic last year, and also reported five new deaths.
The case count marked a record one-day jump from 950 cases the previous day, even as the state capital Melbourne remained in an extended lockdown while Victoria races to vaccinate the population.
Victoria has been in a hard lockdown since Aug. 5 and state authorities have said they expect 80% of the adult population to be fully inoculated by early November.
Total cases in Australia stand at around 104,000 and deaths at 1,283, well below other rich nations.
