Australia’s State of Victoria has recorded an increase of fewer than 100 coronavirus (COVID-19) cases for the first time since July 5.
As of Saturday afternoon, there had been 25,547 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Australia, and the number of new cases in last 24 hours is 112.
Of the new cases, Victoria, the hardest-hit state by the COVID-19 pandemic, confirmed 94 — the state’s first double-digit increase since July 5.
However, the nation’s death toll has reached 600 as authorities in Victoria confirmed 18 new deaths on Saturday.
“Sixteen of the 18 deaths are linked to known outbreaks in aged care facilities. To date, 513 people have died from coronavirus in Victoria,” said a statement from the Department of Health and Human Services in Victoria on Saturday.
The department also said that there are 1,305 active cases relating to aged care facilities and 411 active cases among healthcare workers in the state.
Victoria now accounts for about 73 percent of all of Australia’s confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 85 percent of the nation’s deaths.
It has taken six days for the death toll in the country to grow from 500 to 600 — the same amount of time it took for it to grow from 400 to 500.
