Australia's Victoria state reports 73 new locally acquired Covid-19 cases

Australia's Victoria state reported 73 new Covid-19 cases on Monday, a day after Premier Dan Andrews said he would extend lockdown measures across the state as daily infections reached the highest level in a year.

Victoria, including state capital Melbourne, was due to end a five-week lockdown on Thursday. Andrews did not provide details when he said on Sunday the shut-in would be extended.

Health officials on Sunday reported 92 new Covid-19 cases, the biggest one-day rise since September 2020.

Neighbouring New South Wales, where capital Sydney is the epicentre of the Delta variant outbreak that has reached across the country, on Sunday reported more than 1,000 new infections. New South Wales is scheduled to announce its daily case numbers later on Monday.