SYDNEY, Dec 20, 2020 (BSS/AFP) – Dancing, singing and chanting were banned
across Sydney in a fresh round of restrictions introduced Sunday as
Australian authorities raced to control a growing coronavirus outbreak in the
city.
As hundreds of thousands of people on Sydney’s northern beaches awoke to
the first day of a snap lockdown, authorities announced another 30
coronavirus cases had been detected in the area.
That brings the Covid-19 cluster in Australia’s most populous city to 68
cases since it emerged Thursday, causing alarm among health officials, who
issued stay-at-home orders for several beachside suburbs.
New South Wales state — which incorporates Sydney — on Sunday announced
bans on dancing, singing and chanting at indoor venues across the city except
at small weddings and religious services.
“It is the season when we all love to be singing,” state health minister
Brad Hazzard said.
“But for the moment, it is probably one of the most dangerous exercises
you can do, dancing and singing.”
Sydney restaurants, bars and cafes will be forced to limit patron numbers
to 300 people while caps have also been placed on visits to homes.
Mask-wearing is being encouraged but has not been made compulsory.
Officials have promised to review the rules Wednesday in the hope some
restrictions can be lifted before Christmas Day.
The latest outbreak has thrown Christmas plans into disarray, as many
Australians who hoped to reunite with family after long separations were
forced to cancel travel after new domestic border closures.
On Sunday, Victoria and South Australia became the latest states to
announce Sydney residents would be subject to mandatory hotel quarantine for
14 days on entry.
Australia has largely been successful in containing the virus, taking an
aggressive approach centred on imposing early and often far-reaching
restrictions in response to new outbreaks.
The country has recorded just over 28,100 Covid-19 cases and 908 deaths in
a population of about 25 million.