SYDNEY, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Sydney residents will learn on Wednesday whether COVID-19 restrictions will be eased ahead of the Christmas holidays and if the northern seaside suburbs can come out of a lockdown after a fresh virus cluster was detected there last week.
About a quarter of a million residents in Australia's largest city have been asked to stay home for five days from Saturday as authorities rushed to contain the cluster, which had grown to 90 cases as of Tuesday.
Residents in the affected areas were asked to go outside only for one of four essential reasons - grocery shopping, work, emergency medical treatment or visiting an isolated relative.
Current restrictions are due to expire at midnight on Wednesday.
New South Wales (NSW), of which Sydney is the capital, reported on Tuesday its lowest rise in new local coronavirus cases in almost a week after record testing numbers, stoking optimism that the cluster has been contained.
NSW authorities have added dozens of venues across the city linked to the cluster and urged Sydney's 5 million residents to remain vigilant.
Australia has reported just over 28,200 coronavirus cases and 908 deaths since the pandemic began. (Graphic: https://tmsnrt.rs/34pvUyi)