Coronavirus spreads in Australia's pubs; Omicron cases linked to party boat

COVID-19 infections have been spreading in pubs and clubs in Australia's biggest city, including three new cases of the Omicron variant found among people who went on a harbour party cruise, sending officials rushing to trace contacts. Authorities have been easing restrictions in Sydney since early October when the city emerged from a nearly four-month lockdown to contain the Delta coronavirus variant after the population reached higher vaccination levels. 'We have seen recently increased transmission in larger social venues ... and that is certainly a contributing factor to the increase in cases,' Marianne Gale, New South Wales Deputy Chief Health Officer, said in a video posted on Twitter.