SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA) – The state of Victoria in Australia witnessed a record daily jump in the number of infections on Friday while neighbouring New South Wales banned dancing, singing and mingling at weddings. This comes as authorities are struggling to contain the spread of the virus.
Victoria authorities said there were 428 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours and most of them were cases of community transmission.
On Friday, Australia witnessed the second biggest surge in one-day rise of coronavirus infections with 438 cases.
“We are in the fight of our lives,” Minister for Health of Victoria Jenny Mikakos said.
So far, Australia has marked over 11,000 cases of COVID-19. On Friday, the death toll touched 116 after three people in Victoria succumbed to the virus.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison vowed to provide any assistance needed as he urged citizens to not to panic.
“We would not have expected to see the results of the lockdown measures put in place in Victoria as yet,” Morrison told reporters.
The country’s most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) recorded eight new cases in the last 24 hours. It was mostly caused by community transmission.
NSW state Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced that more curbs will be imposed next week.
No more than 100 people can attend funerals and congregate at places of worship. All venues must ensure that there is a 4-metre space between each person.
“No dancing, no singing, no mingling,” Berejiklian said in Sydney.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field