Armenian premier of Australia’s most populous state announces easing lockdown

Australia’s most populous state, home to Sydney, will allow restaurants, playgrounds and outdoor pools to reopen on Friday as extensive testing has shown the spread of the coronavirus has slowed sharply, New South Wales state’s premier said on Sunday, Reuters reported.

“Just because we’re easing restrictions doesn’t mean the virus is less deadly or less of a threat. Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters on Sunday. “All it means is we have done well to date.”

From May 15, New South Wales will allow cafes and restaurants to seat 10 patrons at a time, permit outdoor gatherings of up to 10 people, and visits of up to five people to a household.

The state has been worst hit by the coronavirus in Australia, with about 45% of the country’s confirmed cases and deaths. However, it recorded just two new cases on Saturday out of nearly 10,000 people tested.