How Australia's 'second wave' of COVID-19 is different from the first

Dr Mark Putland is the director of emergency medicine in the Royal Melbourne Hospital.

Victoria alone had another 532 coronavirus cases confirmed today.

But unlike the first surge, many of the victims this time aren't as equipped to handle it.

"To begin with, that first wave, it was really people strong enough to travel, they were young and fit," Dr Putland told A Current Affair.

But now, with community spread, more vulnerable people were being affected, especially those with pre-existing conditions such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart issues.

But young people, he said, were also at risk, with some victims developing prolonged fatigue or lung diseases which plagued them long after their bout with the virus had subsided.

And overseas, he said, strokes, heart attacks, and kidney disease had been among the consequences for younger sufferers.

But amid the grim warnings there was some good news.

"Today's numbers are high, but it is not doubling every day that's really encouraging," Dr Putland said.

"I think it's a good encouragement to the community the right thing that they are doing turn this thing around and that we'll start to in the coming weeks. Take care of it."