Canberra, July 31 (TIWN) Australia on Friday recorded the second largest single-day surge in the number of of new COVID-19 cases, while the death toll was nearing 200.

As of Friday noon there had been 196 deaths from COVID-19 in Australia, and the number of new cases in last 24 hours is 651, which is the second largest daily number in the country after Thursday’s record of 747, according to the update from Michael Kidd, the government’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

All eight new deaths were in Victoria, including four linked to aged care facilities in the worst-hit state, reports Xinhua news agency.