healthUpdated: Jul 23, 2020 11:14 ISTResidents of Australia’s second most populous city, Melbourne, must wear masks when leaving home from Wednesday as the country posted a record rise in novel coronavirus cases while New South Wales state was on “high alert”. Australia recorded 501 new coronavirus infections in the past 24 hours, its highest since the epidemic took hold in March. Victoria state, of which Melbourne is capital, accounted for most of the new cases, with 484. Melbourne has seen a rapid increase in the number of coronavirus cases in recent weeks, with the virus spreading to many aged and nursing homes and some prisons. Victoria has recorded more than 6,700 coronavirus infections, more than half of Australia’s total.

Source: Hindustan Times July 23, 2020 05:37 UTC