SYDNEY: Australia will ring in the new year with harsher restrictions on movement, gatherings, and inner borders because the nation’s two largest states battle to quash fresh COVID-19 cases of their capital cities.
Australia’s second-most-populous state, Victoria, will restrict indoor gatherings to 15 individuals and reintroduce necessary masks indoors beginning Thursday (Dec 31), a day after it reported three new cases that ended its COVID-free streak of more than two months.
Although cases slightly eased in the most populous state of New South Wales (NSW), authorities described the situation as “very risky”.
“Pleasingly, we now have seen the numbers go down at this time … however they’ll bounce around and what is actually important is for all of us to do everything we are able to reduce our mobility,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian informed reporters.
Authorities have tightened guidelines ahead of New Yr’s Eve, hoping to avert group transmission, as cases are anticipated to rise within the coming days due to family gatherings and traveling during the holidays.
Sydney’s virus clusters continued to grow, with the newest one in an inner-west suburb rising by three cases within the last 24 hours. The cluster detected within the northern seaside areas in mid-December now includes almost 150 cases.
NSW reported 10 new local cases compared with 18 a day earlier, whereas Victoria added three to its tally.
In the meantime, South Australia state on Thursday stated rising infections in Sydney have led it to place up a hard border with NSW beginning Friday, with only returning residents, important staff, and people relocating to the state allowed entry.
Australia has reported simply over 28,400 COVID-19 cases and 909 deaths since the pandemic began.
