Australia’s coronavirus hotspot state of Victoria looks set to lift some tough lockdown restrictions in coming days, after reporting only 14 new cases and eight deaths in the last 24 hours on Friday, further reducing the rate of infections. The two-week average of new infections in the city of Melbourne has dropped below 26, well below the 30-50 level which the state has set as a precondition to ease curbs. “We are well and truly within the band in order to take those next steps,” said Victoria’s Premier Daniel Andrews, without providing detail on what those next steps would be.
