Top Asian News 3:48 a.m. GMT

Asia Today: Australia records its deadliest day of pandemic

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia recorded its deadliest day of the pandemic Monday as the government urged hot spot Victoria state to announce its plans to lift a lockdown on the country's second-largest city. 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 infections was Victoria's lowest since 67 new cases were recorded on June 30 in the early weeks of the second wave of the pandemic, which has primarily been concentrated in the state capital, Melbourne. A six-week lockdown in the city is due to be relaxed on Sept.