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MELBOURNE: Australia’s New South Wales state has increased testing for COVID-19 to curb the resurgence of coronavirus infections in Sydney, and other states and territories are taking similar action amid concerns that the outbreak could have spread .
A record nearly 70,000 tests were conducted in New South Wales, home to about a quarter of Australia’s 25 million inhabitants, on Thursday (December 24), authorities said.
New South Wales registered seven new COVID-19 cases on Friday, six related to an outbreak in Sydney’s northern beach suburbs that has kept more than a quarter of a million in some form of lockdown for nearly a week. The group now stands at 104.
READ: Sydney residents said ‘limit your mobility’ over Christmas to combat the spread of COVID-19
Officials have urged social distancing at gatherings, reducing shopping on Boxing Day, and testing.
“I don’t think anyone is having a normal Christmas today in New South Wales,” Premier Gladys Berejiklian said in a televised briefing. “Make sure you think very carefully about all the activities you are doing.”
RAIN, COVID-19 KEEP THE SHIRTS AWAY FROM BONDI
With Australia’s outer borders closed and domestic tourism limited, Sydney residents were poised for the rare opportunity to experience iconic Bondi Beach, a traditional Christmas destination for thousands of people every year, almost just for themselves.
But rainy weather and a recent COVID-19 outbreak in the North Beach suburbs of Australia’s largest city kept numbers low.
At noon, only about 100 people were swimming, surfing and posing for photos in front of a Christmas tree set up by lifeguards.
“We have to be present at the moment,” said local resident Celio Agostinho.
“Bring a little happiness to the situation, bring a little light, bring a little hope, a little madness and that’s it. That’s Bondi, that’s what Christmas is all about.”
Neighboring Victoria state, which has not seen a new COVID-19 case for eight consecutive weeks after battling a large outbreak for months, conducted more than 11,000 tests on Thursday.
The day before, a record over 96,000 COVID-19 tests were conducted in Australia.
READ: Australia detects a new strain of coronavirus in the UK
“Well done Australia!” Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Twitter Thursday night. “Let’s continue doing our bit to stay at COVIDSafe.”
Sydney has been virtually isolated from the rest of the country with state border closures or mandatory 14-day quarantine for arrivals from the city. The coronavirus outbreak has been largely contained in affected suburbs, but a few cases have been reported in Australia over the past week.
Australia has reported more than 28,000 coronavirus cases and 908 deaths so far, thanks in part to widespread testing, which is free at public health facilities.
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