Australia's New South Wales to slightly ease lockdown rules over Christmas

[SYDNEY] Australia's most populous state of New South Wales (NSW) on Wednesday said it would slightly ease the Covid-19 lockdown rules for Sydney's northern seaside suburbs during the Christmas holidays.

There will be "modest changes" to restrictions for three days starting Thursday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian told reporters, after new daily cases slowed in recent days, allaying fears of a wider outbreak.

Residents in the lockdown areas can have up to five visitors in their homes during the Christmas period but they should be from the same affected suburbs. Restrictions will return to current rules on Dec 27.

NSW reported eight new local coronavirus cases, the same number reported a day earlier.

REUTERS