Australia's Victoria state logs record infections ahead of key sporting event

FILE PHOTO: Shoppers wearing protective face masks line up to scan a QR code before entering a store on the first day of eased coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions for the state of Victoria following an extended lockdown in Melbourne, Australia, June 11, 2021. REUTERS/Sandra Sanders

MELBOURNE (Reuters) -Australia's Victoria state notched up a daily record of 847 locally acquired cases of COVID-19 and one death, government figures showed on Saturday as health officials warned the public to stay home ahead of a major national sporting final.

Authorities expect case numbers in the state to keep rising until mid November as it races to raise vaccination rates above the 70% double dose threshold, up from around 46% currently.