World / Covid 19

Covid-19: Victoria 1993 new cases, 7 deaths; NSW 319 cases, 2 deaths

15:02 pm on 16 October 2021

Victoria has recorded 1993 Covid-19 cases and seven deaths today.

Covid-19 commander Jeroen Weimar said he was "very sad" to confirm that a 15-year-old who had a "number of conditions", including Covid, was among those who had died.

The new infections were detected from 79,214 test results and bring the total number of active cases in the state to 21,647.

An ambulance being cleaned at Royal Melbourne Hospital in Melbourne. (File photo). Photo: AFP

This weekend may be the last Melburnians spend in lockdown, with Premier Daniel Andrews confirming last week that restrictions would be eased when 70 percent of Victorians aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated

The state is on track to meet that milestone this week. The latest data shows 87.6 percent of people in that group have received at least one vaccine dose, and 63.8 percent have been fully vaccinated.

Under the roadmap laid out by the state government, when the 70 percent goal is reached, the travel bubble in Melbourne will expand to 25 kilometres, the curfew will lift and up to 10 fully vaccinated people will be able to meet outdoors.

In regional areas (except those in lockdown conditions, like Mildura), up to 20 fully vaccinated people will be allowed to meet outdoors and there will be a substantial increase in the number of fully vaccinated people allowed in indoor and outdoor settings at hospitality venues.

New South Wales

NSW has recorded 319 locally acquired Covid-19 cases and two deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm on Friday.

There were 66,311 tests undertaken in the reporting period.

NSW Health said there were now 652 people with the virus in hospital, 138 of whom were in intensive care.

There were two new cases acquired overseas.

Close to 92 percent of people aged 16 and over have had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

NSW has not quite reached the 80 percent mark for double vaccination figures yet, with 78.8 percent of people aged 16 and over now vaccinated twice.

Premier Dominic Perrottet yesterday said the state was expected to reach the 80 percent vaccine target this weekend, allowing a further easing of restrictions for people who've had both jabs from Monday, October 18.

These include more visitors in homes, larger outdoor gatherings, standing in pubs and the end of caps on weddings and funerals.

Regional travel for Greater Sydney residents had also been promised at 80 percent but the government on Friday pushed that back again to 1 November.

Perrottet this week warned the expected surge of cases from loosening restrictions may not appear for up to two weeks.

NSW will open its borders to fully vaccinated international travellers - who will no longer need to quarantine in hotels, or at home - from next month, Perrottet announced yesterday.

- ABC