Australia adds 53 earlier dead to pandemic toll

Those deaths plus six that officials reported Friday for the previous 24 hours raises Australia's toll from the pandemic to 737. Victoria state officials say the 53 earlier deaths were determined from reconciling numbers from July and August. Victoria state chief health officer Brett Sutton says that “this is the stubborn tail of the epidemic curve.”

Australian authorities have added 53 deaths at nursing homes from earlier this year to the country's total of coronavirus deaths. Those deaths plus six that officials reported Friday for the previous 24 hours raises Australia's toll from the pandemic to 737.

Victoria state officials say the 53 earlier deaths were determined from reconciling numbers from July and August. An outbreak in the city of Melbourne has raced through dozens of aged-care homes, resulting in hundreds of deaths.

The outbreak in the state appears to be slowly waning, with Victoria officials reporting 81 new confirmed coronavirus cases Friday. Victoria state chief health officer Brett Sutton says that “this is the stubborn tail of the epidemic curve.”