Sydney celebrates 2022 amid COVID-19 spread
Aussies urged to join festivities even as other countries cancel events
SYDNEY/SEOUL—New Year celebrations around the world have been called off as the coronavirus casts gloom over festivities for a second year but Australia was determined to enjoy the night and there were even signs North Korea was preparing fireworks.
On Friday, Sydney, the Australian city worst-affected by the Omicron wave, said it would press ahead with New Year’s Eve celebrations, with authorities encouraging revelers to come out and enjoy the festivities despite a record number of COVID-19 cases.
Thousands are expected to flock to prime harborside spots to watch Sydney’s famous fireworks, the traditional 12-minute pyrotechnic display to ring in the new year, with queues forming at many vantage points since early morning.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison wished people to “enjoy the evening,” while NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet urged everyone to “head out and enjoy New Year’s” as daily infections in the state nearly doubled to a record 21,151 on Friday.
Many countries have scaled back New Year celebrations in an effort to contain rampant contagion from the Omicron coronavirus variant, but celebrations will proceed in Sydney as normal after last year’s plans were toned down due to COVID-19.
Living with the virus
Sydney, the capital of New South Wales (NSW) state, is one of the world’s first major cities to welcome each New Year, with a public countdown and fireworks display over its iconic Opera House.
All Australian states, except for Western Australia, have begun to live with the virus after higher vaccination levels and the ease in restrictions has pushed cases to record highs.
Despite the record surge, Perrottet on Friday reiterated NSW is “in a very strong position” due to higher inoculations and that hospitals were coping with the Omicron wave.
“While case numbers are substantially increasing, compared to where we were with the Delta variant, our position remains incredibly strong,” Perrottet told reporters.
Of more than 135,000 active cases in Australia, only 127 people are in intensive care, according to official data.
Australia on Friday reported more than 32,400 cases, a new pandemic high, far exceeding the previous record of 21,329 a day earlier as total infections neared 400,000. A total of 2,239 deaths have been registered since the pandemic began.
Global coronavirus infections hit a record high over the past seven-days, with an average of just over 1 million cases detected a day worldwide between Dec. 24 and 30, some 100,000 up on the previous peak posted on Wednesday, according to Reuters data.
With numerous countries registering all-time highs, authorities in many places have called off celebrations to welcome in 2022, fearful that the all-conquering Omicron variant will take advantage of gatherings to spread even faster.
Arrangements in Pyongyang
Secretive North Korea also appeared to be preparing to buck the trend and celebrate the New Year with midnight fireworks at Kim Il Sung Square in its capital, Pyongyang.
Commercial satellite imagery showed preparations were under way with a stage being installed in the square, according to NK News, a Seoul-based website that monitors North Korea.
The Rodong Sinmun staterun newspaper ran photographs of flower shops in Pyongyang crowded with mask-wearing customers buying blooms for the celebrations.
North Korea sealed its borders after the pandemic began and has not reported a single case of COVID-19.