Victoria has worst death toll as fears that rise Melbourne lockdown failing

Victoria has reported its worst daily coronavirus death toll and the highest rise in infections amid fears that a six-week lockdown of the state capital, Melbourne, is failing. The state reported 723 new cases today — a 36 per cent rise on the case record set on Monday. It also reported another 13 deaths — the largest number in a single day since the pandemic took hold in Australia. There are fears that Melbourne’s lockdown, which began on July 8, will need to be extended. The Victoria government said that sick people breaking isolation rules by going to their workplaces were responsible for the rising number of infections. “If you’ve got symptoms, the only thing you can do is get tested,” said the state premier, Daniel Andrews.