37 new COVID-19 cases reported in Australia

Australia reported 37 new cases of COVID-19 on Friday, including 30 in Victoria state, where health authorities are scrambling to contain an outbreak.

Authorities said they tested 20,000 people after going door-to-door in Melbourne suburbs in their attempts to stamp out the virus.

In Sydney, a 12-year-old student tested positive, forcing the closure of his school for cleaning.

There have been 104 deaths due to COVID-19, the illness caused by the new coronavirus, in Australia and more than 7,500 infected.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with mild or no visible symptoms.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.