Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. Australia Equals Its Deadliest Day of COVID-19 Pandemic Phil Mercer SYDNEY - Senior government officials in the Australian state of Victoria will Tuesday appear at a parliamentary inquiry into the response to the COVID-19 crisis. Premier Daniel Andrews and other colleagues are expected to face questions about security breaches in the hotel quarantine system for travelers returning from overseas. Australia has had 21,397 confirmed coronavirus infections. 313 people have died. Australia has equaled its deadliest day of the coronavirus pandemic so far. 19 people in the state of Victoria have died in the past 24-hours, and 331 new infections have been reported. The city of Melbourne is in lockdown until mid-September, and a night-time curfew is in place. Its streets are almost deserted, as millions of people are forced to stay at home. Only essential businesses can stay open. .