Even as cases hit record levels, millions of people in Melbourne are preparing to emerge from the world's longest COVID-19 lockdown later Thursday, with pubs, restaurants, and other food shops hurrying to resupply before restarting their business.

Residents in Australia's second-largest city have been under lockdown since early August, the sixth time during the global health crisis, to combat an outbreak fueled by the highly dangerous Delta strain.

Officials had vowed to lift the lockdowns if the percentage of people aged 16 and over who had received double-dose vaccines in Victoria state, of which Melbourne is the capital, reached 70%.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the state had met its goal, with more restrictions due to be lifted as immunization rates approached 80% and 90 percent.

"The longest road in Victoria has been traveled, and that long road truly starts to open up tonight," Morrison said on Thursday on Seven News.

Pubs and cafes can have 20 fully vaccinated consumers inside and 50 outside starting at 11:59 p.m. (1359 GMT) Thursday, while hairdressers can have five customers. Both indoors and outside, masks will be required.

According to Australian media, the metropolis of 5 million people would have been under stay-home orders for a total of 262 days, or over nine months, since March last year - the world's longest - surpassing Buenos Aires' 234-day lockdown.

Bars have began to accept more beer in preparation for the reopening, with Carlton & United Breweries, owned by Japan's Asahi Group Holdings (2502.T), announcing on Thursday that it has sent an additional 50,000 kegs to venues throughout the city.

Daily infections in Victoria increased to 2,232 on Thursday, the second highest daily tally in any Australian jurisdiction during the pandemic.

After being hit by a third wave of illnesses in the country's southeast since mid-June, Australia has abandoned its COVID-zero strategy and is attempting to live with the virus while increasing vaccinations.

Despite the Delta wave, Australia only has roughly 152,000 cases and 1,590 deaths, which is much less than many other comparable countries.

With limitations easing, Qantas Airways said it will increase daily flights between Sydney and Melbourne, one of the world's busiest domestic routes prior to the pandemic, from one to roughly 15 from the first week of November.