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SYDNEY: Australia’s most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) maintained its downward trend of new Covid-19 infections on Tuesday, but authorities asked people to be on “high alert” after it was detect cases outside the current virus group.
A cluster detected in Sydney’s north beachside suburbs in mid-December has now risen to 129 cases and around a quarter of a million residents have been blocked as of Jan.9 as authorities fight to eradicate the virus.
NSW reported three cases, all linked to the Sydney cluster, in the 24 hours to 8pm Monday – its lowest daily increase in coronavirus infections in nearly two weeks.
Three cases were detected after the daily 2000 deadline, which are under investigation, New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters.
“I am not ruling out that they are linked to the (Sydney) group … but until those links are established, all of us in Greater Sydney must be on high alert,” Berejiklian said.
“We don’t want people to think that we are out of the woods, every time we have a couple of cases overnight that are not directly related to the northern beaches, we are concerned.”
Sydney, Australia’s largest city, has reduced its New Year’s Eve celebrations by banning large outdoor gatherings to watch its popular fireworks display, and urged people to stay home and watch the event on television.
Only residents with hospitality venues permits will be able to enter the city on New Year’s Eve and Sydney homes can only hold 10 people. Outdoor meetings are limited to 50 people.
Australia has largely avoided the high infections and deaths from the new coronavirus compared to many other developed countries. It has recorded just over 28,300 cases and 909 deaths since the pandemic began.
