Victorian Covid cases fall below 1,000 for the first time in 34 days as NSW cases drop to 173

Victoria has recorded fewer than 1,000 Covid-19 cases for the first time in 34 days as its vaccination rate tops 80 per cent.

The state recorded 989 new infections and nine deaths on Tuesday, the first time case have dropped to triple figures since September 29 when it had 950.

The next day it passed 1,000 and never looked back, hitting a high of 2,297 two weeks later on October 14. 

Of the 667 cases in hospital across Victoria, 127 are fighting for life in ICU, including 76 on a ventilator.

More than 16,150 Victorians rolled up their sleeves for a Covid-19 jab on Monday to take the state’s double dose rate to 81 per cent, only a couple of weeks behind NSW now closing in on 90 per cent.

It comes as 10,000 fully vaccinated Melbourne Cup race goers flock to Flemington for the race that stops a nation. 

NSW recorded 173 cases and four deaths on Tuesday, a day after intrastate travel reopened (pictured Bowral in the NSW Southern Highlands)

NSW recorded 173 cases and four deaths on Tuesday, staying under 200 for a second consecutive day three weeks after Sydneysiders and surrounding regions were lifted from almost four months of lockdown.

Cases were slightly up from the 135 recorded on Monday. 

The latest figures were recorded a day after regional NSW reopened to Sydneysiders.

Cases in hospital have plummeted to 333, including 72 in ICU.

The four fatalities take the NSW death toll from the current outbreak to 522.

Around 93.6 per cent of the state’s population aged over-16 have had at least one jab while 87.8 per cent are fully vaccinated.

NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet will on Tuesday make a major announcement about the NSW roadmap out of the pandemic.

He is expected to slash restrictions from next week instead of December 1 with the vaccine rollout progressing faster than expected.

However, unvaccinated residents, who were controversially to be given the same freedom as everyone else on that date, will have to wait until Christmas.

Australia’s international borders reopened for the first time in 590 days on Monday.

Returning travellers touching down in NSW and Victoria aren’t required to quarantine on arrival.