PARIS (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron discussed the COVID-19 pandemic situation during a phone briefing on Thursday with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Macron's office said, as leaders around the world prepare for a possible new wave of the virus.
"The President of the Republic and the Prime Minister of Australia shared their analyses on the evolution of the COVID-19 epidemic in the world and on measures being taken to prevent its resurgence," said a statement from the French Presidency.
Australia's second most populous state of Victoria reported on Thursday five deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours and the third-highest daily rise in coronavirus cases.
Melbourne, the state's largest city, has also seen a flare-up in infections in recent weeks, prompting the government to enforce a six-week partial lockdown and make face masks mandatory for its residents or risk a A$200 ($143) fine.
France has the sixth-highest coronavirus death toll in the world.
(Reporting by Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Mark Potter)
