World / Covid 19

Covid-19: 1993 cases in Victoria, 319 in NSW, nine deaths

11:42 am on 16 October 2021

Victoria has recorded 1993 Covid-19 cases and seven deaths while New South Wales has 319 cases and two deaths.

Photo: AFP

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

This weekend may be the last Melburnians spend in lockdown, with Premier Daniel Andrews confirming last week that restrictions would be eased when 70 per cent 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 per cent of people in that group have received at least one vaccine dose, and 63.8 per cent have been fully vaccinated.

Under the roadmap laid out by the state government, when the 70 per cent 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.

Elsewhere in Australia, 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 per cent of people aged 16 and over have had one dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

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

- ABC