Australia on Monday reported its highest daily coronavirus deaths with 19 fatalities during the last 24 hours, all in Victoria state, prompting the state premier to acknowledge that the COVID-19 health crisis was the "greatest challenge" faced by the province.
The country also registered 322 new cases of confirmed infections during the same period, the lowest daily increase in the last 12 days.
The coronavirus has so far claimed 314 lives in Australia with 9,365 active cases. Notably, the jump from 200 to 300 virus deaths has taken just nine days. On August 1, Australia reported its 200th COVID-19 death.
At his daily COVID-19 update on Monday, Victoria state premier Daniel Andrews said the COVID-19 outbreak was "the greatest challenge" the state has ever faced.
The number of new virus cases at 322 is the lowest daily increase in the last 12 days. All the deaths reported in the last 24 hours were from Victoria.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison mourned the loss of lives and extended his "sincere condolences to the families".
