LATEST COVID-19 DEVELOPMENTS:
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
* NSW has reached a "disturbingly high" record of 478 new local COVID-19 cases as the government extends support for tenants and landlords affected by lockdowns stretching past seven weeks.
* Eight deaths were recorded, including the youngest COVID-related death in Australia - 15-year-old Osama Suduh. Three men in their 80s, a man in his 40s, a man and woman in their 70s and a woman in her 80s also died from the disease.
* The virus is continuing to spread throughout western NSW with the towns of Dubbo and Walgett recording 35 new cases, and an infection detected in Bourke.
* The Victorian government has extended Melbourne's sixth lockdown for another two weeks and introduced a 9pm to 5am curfew, effective from 11:59pm Monday, after recording 22 new cases.
* The ACT's seven-day lockdown has been extended for another two weeks until September 2, after the territory recorded another 19 cases.
* Greater Darwin and Katherine will be locked down for three days after an American man infected with COVID-19 travelled to the Northern Territory from Sydney.
* Queensland will begin locking out essential workers from NSW, with new sewage tests suggesting COVID-19 remains on the state's doorstep, as it recorded zero new cases for a second consecutive day.
* Melburnians "turning footpaths into impromptu beer gardens" have been slammed by Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews while announcing new restrictions on takeaway alcohol, meanwhile almost half of Vic businesses want mandatory COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment.
* WA's sluggish coronavirus vaccine rollout is being accelerated with people aged 16 to 29 invited to make bookings to receive the Pfizer vaccine, as Premier Mark McGowan faces backlash for suggesting the state will continue to pursue a strategy of zero community transmission.
AUSTRALIAN VACCINATION NUMBERS:
* There have been 15,338,926 doses administered in the national COVID-19 vaccination rollout up to Sunday, including 94,497 in the previous 24 hours.
* Of the total, 8,935,315 have been administered by the Commonwealth (an increase of +41,742 in the previous 24 hours).
* 8,274,354 have been issued in primary care (+39,563) and 660,961 in aged and disability facilities.
* 6,403,611 have been administered by the states and territories, including 52,755 in the previous 24 hours.
AUSTRALIAN CORONAVIRUS NUMBERS:
* Australia reported 520 local cases: 478 in NSW, 22 in Victoria, 19 in the ACT and one in the Northern Territory.
* Four overseas acquired cases were reported in hotel quarantine: Two in NSW and two in WA.
* The national death toll is 966: Victoria 820, NSW 110, 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 207,206,003
* Deaths: at least 4,362,232
* Vaccine doses administered: at least 4,584,835,166.
Data current as at 1800 AEST on August 16, taking in federal and state/territory government updates and Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Centre figures.
Australian Associated Press
