Elderly pair take Aussie toll to 56

A MAN in his 80s has died from the coronavirus in a Victorian hospital, while a woman in her 90s was NSW’s latest victim, taking the national toll to 56.

NSW Health Minister Brad Hazzard announced the death of the woman, who had a preexisting medical condition, yesterday – the state’s 23rd fatality – saying she had died overnight and her source of infection remained unknown.

“It is always tough when a family member passes away and this is the toughest of times,” he said.

In Victoria, Health Minister Jenny Mikakos announced the 80-year-old’s death in a tweet, taking that state’s toll to 14.

The two deaths come as Australians are urged to stay home over the Easter long weekend.

More than 6200 coronavirus cases have been recorded nationally, with the rate of increase in new cases continuing to decline.