This archive report was first published on 26 June 2020.
On June 25, 2020, Victoria state in Australia reported its first COVID-19 death in over a month, with 20 new cases, sparking fears of a second wave of infections.
The deceased was a man in his 80s, according to Victoria Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton, who told reporters in Melbourne that the state's tally had reached nearly 1,900 after recording 17 cases on Tuesday and 16 the day before.
Concerns about a second wave of infections led to thousands of people queuing for COVID-19 tests, with supermarkets imposing new restrictions to prevent excessive buying and support social distancing.
Victoria has asked for assistance from the country's military to enforce a 14-day quarantine requirement imposed on all Australians and permanent residents returning from overseas.
Authorities in Victoria believe the surge in new cases has been caused by family get-togethers attended by people with mild symptoms.
Despite the spike in cases in Victoria, the neighbouring state of New South Wales (NSW) said it would not introduce a hard border closure between the states, but urged people to avoid travelling to its southern neighbour.
Australia has so far escaped a high number of casualties from the new coronavirus, with just over 7,500 infections and 103 deaths, aided by strict lockdown measures and social distancing rules.
