New South Wales has reported 1,029 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths, while the government has announced outdoor gatherings of up to five fully-vaccinated people will be allowed from mid-September.
Of the new cases, which represent another record daily increase, only 185 are linked to current outbreaks and 91 were isolated throughout their infectious period.
All three people who died - a man in his 30s, a man in his 60s and a man in his 80s - were unvaccinated and died at home. The death toll for the current NSW outbreak now sits at 79.
There are almost 700 COVID-19 patients in hospitals in NSW, with 116 in intensive care beds and 43 ventilated.
A record 136,00 vaccinations took place on Wednesday.
After hitting the milestone earlier this week of six million vaccinations administered, new "freedoms" for fully vaccinated residents will be put in place from 13 September.
People who have received two doses of the vaccine and live outside of the local government areas of concern will be able to gather outside in groups of five, within five kilometres from home.
Households inside LGAs of concern who are fully vaccinated will also be able to gather outdoors but need to follow existing restrictions around curfews and exercise limits. They may not gather with people outside their households.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian said the move was made to help boost mental health.
"[We] know people coming together is what people miss the most," she told reporters.
"From the various options we looked at, that was the option that met the mental health needs and wellbeing of our community, but also provided the lowest-risk setting."
Details of a plan to return students to school and how to conduct the HSC amid the COVID-19 crisis are expected to be announced on Friday.
Ms Berejiklian said further easing of restrictions would be restored at 70 per cent double-dose vaccination coverage, including the removal of family, industry, community and economic restrictions.
It's also been confirmed the regional NSW lockdown is being extended until midnight Friday 10 September amid concern about case numbers.
Thirty five new cases have been found in the Western NSW Local Health District, 71 cases in the Nepean Blue Mountains district, six in the Far West, two in Illawarra-Shoalhaven and two on the Central Coast. There were no new cases in the Hunter New England district.
Deputy premier John Barilaro described regional NSW as “sitting on a knife’s edge”.
“It is a tinder box waiting to explode,” he said.
Meanwhile, at least two western Sydney hospitals - Westmead and Blacktown - have called "code yellows".
Western Sydney Local Health District said in a statement on Thursday it was caring for more than 1,500 COVID-19 patients in the community. As of Wednesday, there were 121 COVID patients in Westmead Hospital and 15 at Blacktown.
It has opened a "short stay unit" in the emergency department for COVID-19 patients to help ease delays offloading patients from ambulances.
"Both Westmead and Blacktown hospital emergency departments are continuing to receive ambulances and emergency care continues to be available to everyone from western Sydney who needs it," the LHD said.
NSW Health says it manages about 500 intensive care beds across NSW, with a surge capacity of about 2000 when required. At current capacities, almost 80 per cent of available intensive care beds in NSW are filled.
With AAP.
SBS is providing live translations of daily New South Wales and Victoria COVID-19 press conferences in various languages.
