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As a cluster of cases on the city’s north beaches grew to 38, residents were ordered to stay home from Saturday night until midnight Wednesday, except for essential reasons.
An electronic screen announces the free COVID-19 tests to be offered at Bondi Beach in Sydney on April 22, 2020. Image: AFP
SYDNEY – Parts of Sydney were heading for a new shutdown on Saturday when officials from Australia’s most populous city said they hoped the restrictions would be enough to control a growing outbreak in time for Christmas.
As a cluster of cases on the city’s northern beaches rose to 38, residents were ordered to stay home from Saturday night until midnight Wednesday, except for essential reasons.
“We hope it gives us enough time to get over the virus so that we can rest for Christmas and New Years,” said Gladys Berejiklian, the prime minister of the state of New South Wales, of which Sydney is the capital.
Starting at 5 p.m. Saturday, hundreds of thousands of people in various suburbs will be forced to stay indoors with beaches, pubs and hotels closed.
Although the restrictions, which will be imposed by the police, only apply to northern beaches, Berejiklian pleaded with Sydney’s more than five million residents to stay home as much as possible over the next few days.
“Can I ask everyone to stop nonessential activities?” He told local media on Saturday. “We don’t want the virus to spread outside the northern beaches.”
The leader also pointed to a possible return of some city-wide restrictions, if the group continued to grow.
Australia’s success in containing the virus has allowed for a continued rollback of restrictions ahead of Christmas, and domestic travel has largely returned to normal before the latest outbreak.
The loosening of sidewalks has sparked fears that the new outbreak has already spread across the country.
A cluster-related case was detected in neighboring Queensland state, prompting officials to announce restrictions on travelers from Sydney and forcing many to isolate themselves.
Masks are not yet mandatory in the city, but residents of northern beaches have been urged to wear them at all times while indoors.
Australia has recorded more than 28,000 COVID-19 cases and 908 virus-related deaths in a population of approximately 25 million.
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