coronavirus COVID-19 testing australia
COVID-19 testing staff are seen at a pop-up site at Keilor Community Hub on June 24, 2020 in Melbourne, Australia. A man in his 80s died overnight in Victoria from coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths in the state to 20. The death is the first COVID-19 fatality for Victoria in many weeks and also comes as 20 new coronavirus cases were confirmed today. Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday warned of another possible lockdown should cases continue to rise, and has extended the state of emergency for at least four weeks to allow police the power to enforce social distancing rules. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Australia recorded its biggest single-day coronavirus case tally with 501, as Victoria continues to see an overwhelming increase in daily infections.

On Wednesday, the Victoria Department of Health and Human Services reported a total of 484 new COVID-19 cases overnight. This is the highest single-day total for the state, and brings its overall number to 6,739. It mourns 44 lost lives in total.

Of the total cases, 205 are currently admitted in hospitals and 40 are in intensive care.

In neighboring New South Wales, 16 new cases have been reported, bringing its total to 3,425 cases since the coronavirus pandemic began in March. While its cases are lower than that of Victoria, NSW has more deaths at 51.

More unnerving is the fact more than half of those who tested positive in Victoria from July 7 to 21 did not isolate, potentially spreading the virus across the state, Victoria Premier Daniel Andrews revealed.

“That means people have felt unwell and just gone about their business,” said Andrews.

“They have gone out shopping. They have gone to work. They have been at the height of their infectivity and they have just continued on as usual.”

Andrews warned cases will continue to rise if they do not isolate and that the six-week lockdown currently in effect in Melbourne will be extended for “much longer” if people disregard these measures.

“Unless we have people who get tested staying at home and isolating until they get their results, then we will not see these numbers come down,” Andrews added.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian also raised concerns over a Black Lives Matter protests planned for next week. She says the state is at a “critical point” and “actions like that are a huge health risk.”

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