Australia

New restrictions announced as outbreak grows

December 20, 2020 5:58 pm

Sydney residents have been told to stay at home. [Source: BBC]

Australia’s most populous state has announced new restrictions for the Greater Sydney area in an attempt to contain a growing outbreak of COVID-19.

Household gatherings will be capped at 10 people and hospitality venues at 300 until Wednesday. Residents had already been told to stay at home.

The cases were found in the city’s Northern Beaches area, which entered a five-day lockdown on Saturday.

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Since then Sydney residents have rushed to leave the city ahead of Christmas.

Thousands have travelled from the city in New South Wales (NSW) to the neighbouring state of Victoria.

In response, Victoria announced that its borders would be closed to residents of Greater Sydney and the NSW Central Coast from midnight.

The outbreak has also forced organisers of the Sydney to Hobart yacht race to cancel the event for the first time in its history.