Australia recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic on Monday as the government urged hot spot Victoria state to announce its plans to lift a lockdown. Victoria's health department reported 41 deaths from COVID-19 and 73 new infections in the latest 24-hour period.

While the deaths were a state and national high, the tally of new cases was Victoria's lowest since 67 new cases were recorded on June 30 in the early weeks of the second wave, which has primarily been concentrated in the state capital, Melbourne.