LATEST COVID-19 DEVELOPMENTS:
* The NSW government has prepared a "draft" reopening roadmap for when the state reaches 80 per cent double-dose vaccination in its eligible population, Deputy Premier John Barilaro says.
* Lismore and Albury are going back into lockdown just days after restrictions lifted, with COVID-19 cases detected in the regional NSW towns.
* NSW reported 1351 new local cases and 12 deaths in the 24 hours to 8pm on Wednesday, taking the toll for the three-month outbreak to 210.
* The deaths included a man in his 40s, a man in his 50s, four people in their 60s, two in their 70s, three in their 80s, and a man in his 90s.
* Melburnians will soon be able to gather in small groups outdoors as part of a "modest" easing of restrictions to mark Victoria reaching its 70 per cent first dose vaccination target.
* Adults who are unvaccinated, or have had only one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, will be able to meet up with one other person from a different household for a walk or picnic, while up to five fully vaccinated adults from two households, plus dependents, will be able to socialise.
* Victorian construction workers have been given a week to get vaccinated and keep their jobs, as the state tries to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the industry and protect regional areas.
* Victoria recorded 514 new locally acquired cases on Thursday, the state's highest daily toll since the peak of its second wave in August 2020.
* Canberra notched up another 15 new cases, as the ACT government walked back from a target of eliminating the virus in the territory.
* Queensland recorded one new community case, connected to a cluster south of Brisbane, as the state prepares to welcome walk-ins to its vaccination hubs.
* The federal Minister for Northern Australia David Littleproud expressed disapproval over the Top End's new COVID-19 management plan.
AUSTRALIAN VACCINATION NUMBERS:
* There have been 23,751,922 doses administered in the national COVID-19 vaccination rollout up to Wednesday, including 305,799 in the previous 24 hours.
* Of the total, 13,679,298 have been administered by the Commonwealth (an increase of 231,340 in the previous 24 hours).
* 10,072,624 have been administered by the states and territories, including 157,842 in the previous 24 hours.
* Nationwide, 69.8 per cent of people aged over 16 have received one vaccine dose while 44.7 per cent are fully vaccinated.
AUSTRALIAN CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:
* Australia reported 1881 local cases on Thursday: 1351 in NSW, 514 in Victoria, 15 in the ACT, and one in Queensland.
* Four overseas-acquired cases were also reported, two each in Queensland and SA.
* The national death toll is 1128: Victoria 828, NSW 266, Tasmania 13, WA 9, Queensland 7, SA 4, ACT 3. (Two Queensland residents who died in NSW have been included in the official tolls of both states).
GLOBAL CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:
* Cases: at least 226,391,000.
* Deaths: at least 4,659,000.
* Vaccine doses administered: at least 5,780,193,000.
Data current as at 1730 AEST on September 16, taking in federal and state/territory government updates and Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre figures.
Australian Associated Press
