Australia’s second most populous state, Victoria, reported 13 new coronavirus deaths in the last 24 hours, authorities said, while new infections in the hotspot state remained below 200 for the second consecutive day.

Other than in Victoria, which accounts for over 80 per cent of the country’s Covid-19 deaths due to a second wave of infections, Australia has large avoided the high casualty numbers of many nations with about 24,500 infections and 485 deaths.

“It’s great to see two days in a row under 200, certainly we are trending down,” said Brett Sutton, the state’s chief health officer. “The best way to safeguard against a third wave is to bring that number down to the lowest feasible, possible level.”