Wish you were in Wuhan (they're having a better New Year than you)? Pandemic epicentre celebrates as rest of the world scales down party to send off a year blighted by Covid-19

 Unmourned but never to be forgotten, 2020 started passing into history today with scaled-down festivities around the world as humanity bids good riddance to the year of the pandemic - although there were balloons and revelry in Wuhan where the virus began its trail of destruction 12 long months ago. 

Most countries have already greeted the dawn of 2021, with the rest of the planet set to cross the invisible threshold in the coming hours. 

In New Zealand, where only 25 people have ever died of Covid-19 and restrictions are virtually non-existent, crowds of partygoers packed into Auckland streets for midnight fireworks. 

In Australia, which has also fended off the worst of the pandemic, life was normal enough for some revellers to gather in Melbourne and Sydney.

In the US, the year of the COVID-19 pandemic ended in with the famous ball drop in a deserted Times Square while millions watched from home, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio dancing with his wife onstage, and partygoers packing into a Miami nightclub to ring in 2021. 

Small groups of revelers, some wearing glittery hats, filmed their distant view of Times Square on their phones and broke out in cheers at midnight. 

And in Wuhan - where the virus first surfaced at the very end of 2019 before spiralling catastrophically around the globe - hundreds gathered at landmarks around the city to welcome in the new year. 

In what is sure to spark envy in many countries still subject to strict lockdown measures, party-goers were filmed crowding into a live music event in the former-Covid epicentre.

Many opted to go mask-free inside the venue where revellers danced just inches from each other.

But for most of the world's seven billion people, a grinding year is ending with typically muted festivities, with fireworks, pyre burnings and live performances set to be watched from home or cancelled altogether.  

From France to Latvia to Brazil, police and military personnel are being deployed to enforce night-time curfews and bans on large gatherings are enforced, with much of the world still in lockdown and the vaccine race only just beginning. 

WUHAN: Balloons were released into the sky in an incredible display in Wuhan. Huge crowds gathered in the city which was the Covid-19 epicentre less than a year ago

WUHAN: Balloons were released into the sky in an incredible display in Wuhan. Huge crowds gathered in the city which was the Covid-19 epicentre less than a year ago

WUHAN: Amazed locals took photos of balloons being released into the sky to bring in 2021. The crowds weren't socially distanced but many opted to wear face masks

WUHAN: Amazed locals took photos of balloons being released into the sky to bring in 2021. The crowds weren't socially distanced but many opted to wear face masks 

WUHAN: In what is sure to spark envy in many countries still subject to strict lockdown measures, party-goers were filmed crowding into a live music event in the former-Covid epicentre

WUHAN: In what is sure to spark envy in many countries still subject to strict lockdown measures, party-goers were filmed crowding into a live music event in the former-Covid epicentre

Packed crowds on show as Wuhan welcomes in 2021 with balloon show
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WUHAN: People with and without protective masks on their faces walk in a street on New Year's Eve

WUHAN: People with and without protective masks on their faces walk in a street on New Year's Eve

WUHAN: Life in Wuhan, a Chinese city of more than 11 million, which nearly a year ago became the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak is returning to normal

WUHAN: Life in Wuhan, a Chinese city of more than 11 million, which nearly a year ago became the epicenter of the coronavirus outbreak is returning to normal

WUHAN: Partygoers, mostly wearing protective face masks, gathered in the streets of Wuhan to welcome 2021

WUHAN: Partygoers, mostly wearing protective face masks, gathered in the streets of Wuhan to welcome 2021

WUHAN: Revellers posed for a selfie in front of buildings lit up in bright colours. Wuhan had a more-normal New Year's Eve than many others across the globe

WUHAN: Revellers posed for a selfie in front of buildings lit up in bright colours. Wuhan had a more-normal New Year's Eve than many others across the globe

Extravagant light show in Wuhan as New Year's celebrations begin
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WUHAN: Huge crowds were seen on the streets of Wuhan on New Year's Eve. Once the virus epicentre, lockdown rules have since been significantly relaxed in the city

WUHAN: Huge crowds were seen on the streets of Wuhan on New Year's Eve. Once the virus epicentre, lockdown rules have since been significantly relaxed in the city

WUHAN: Crowds of people were seen on the streets of Wuhan tonight. Many looked overjoyed to say goodbye to 2020

WUHAN: Crowds of people were seen on the streets of Wuhan tonight. Many looked overjoyed to say goodbye to 2020

No social distancing in sight as Wuhan welcomes in 2021
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WUHAN: Vast crowds were seen gathered on the streets of Wuhan as a new year countdown ushers in 2021

WUHAN: Vast crowds were seen gathered on the streets of Wuhan as a new year countdown ushers in 2021

WUHAN: Huge crowds attended a live music event in Wuhan. Many people were seen dancing along to performers on New Year's Eve

WUHAN: Huge crowds attended a live music event in Wuhan. Many people were seen dancing along to performers on New Year's Eve

WUHAN: Incredible images of the huge crowds of people gathered on the streets of Wuhan were shared to social media

WUHAN: Incredible images of the huge crowds of people gathered on the streets of Wuhan were shared to social media 

Hello 2021! Pandemic epicentre Wuhan welcome in the New Year
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WUHAN: Women wearing masks hold up balloons as the Chinese city which shot to infamy in 2020 after giving the world the coronavirus counted down to 2021

WUHAN: Women wearing masks hold up balloons as the Chinese city which shot to infamy in 2020 after giving the world the coronavirus counted down to 2021 

WUHAN: Thousands gathered at popular landmarks across the city centre for the countdown to 2021. Some revellers said they were being cautious but were not particularly worried

WUHAN: Thousands gathered at popular landmarks across the city centre for the countdown to 2021. Some revellers said they were being cautious but were not particularly worried


WUHAN: In Wuhan, where the virus first surfaced at the very end of 2019 before spiralling catastrophically around the globe, revellers partied to welcome the new year in
WUHAN: Revellers were seen dancing - with several not wearing masks - to welcome the new year in

WUHAN: In Wuhan, where the virus first surfaced at the very end of 2019 before spiralling catastrophically around the globe, revellers partied to welcome the new year in 

WUHAN: People pose for pictures on the banks of the Yangtze River on New Year's Eve in the city which became synonymous with the virus in the early weeks of the outbreak

WUHAN: People pose for pictures on the banks of the Yangtze River on New Year's Eve in the city which became synonymous with the virus in the early weeks of the outbreak 

ITALY: Police secure the area around the Trevi Fountain in Rome tonight during a curfew, lasting from 10pm until 7am

ITALY: Police secure the area around the Trevi Fountain in Rome tonight during a curfew, lasting from 10pm until 7am

ITALY: Fireworks over St Peter's Basilica, Rome, as the Italian government continues to enforce national lockdown measures

ITALY: Fireworks over St Peter's Basilica, Rome, as the Italian government continues to enforce national lockdown measures

ITALY: The Piazza Duomo in Milan lies empty tonight. While decorations go up to celebrate the holiday season, Italy has banned travel and midnight mass during the Christmas and New Year period as the daily Covid death toll continues to rise

ITALY: The Piazza Duomo in Milan lies empty tonight. While decorations go up to celebrate the holiday season, Italy has banned travel and midnight mass during the Christmas and New Year period as the daily Covid death toll continues to rise

GREECE: Something (very) old and something new... as fireworks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens tonight

GREECE: Something (very) old and something new... as fireworks explode over the ancient Acropolis in Athens tonight

LONDON: Fireworks and drones illuminate the night sky over the capital after the traditional display was cancelled

LONDON: Fireworks and drones illuminate the night sky over the capital after the traditional display was cancelled

LONDON: Mounted police officers patrol The Victoria Embankment opposite the London Eye in a near-deserted London

LONDON: Mounted police officers patrol The Victoria Embankment opposite the London Eye in a near-deserted London

LONDON: A small group look across from the embankment towards the London Eye ferris wheel by the River Thames

LONDON: A small group look across from the embankment towards the London Eye ferris wheel by the River Thames

POLAND: A deserted street in Zakopane, in the south of the country, due to ongoing Covid restrictions

POLAND: A deserted street in Zakopane, in the south of the country, due to ongoing Covid restrictions

KOSOVO: Fireworks illuminate the night sky over Pristina during New Year's celebrations

KOSOVO: Fireworks illuminate the night sky over Pristina during New Year's celebrations

NETHERLANDS: Revellers on the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam. Selling, owning and lighting fireworks is prohibited during for New Year this year to prevent extra pressure on the healthcare system

NETHERLANDS: Revellers on the Erasmus Bridge in Rotterdam. Selling, owning and lighting fireworks is prohibited during for New Year this year to prevent extra pressure on the healthcare system

VATICAN CITY: Fireworks over St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican during New Year's Eve, with a 10pm to 7am curfew in place

VATICAN CITY: Fireworks over St Peter's Basilica at the Vatican during New Year's Eve, with a 10pm to 7am curfew in place

AUSTRIA: People gather at the Stephansplatz Square in front of the Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna during a nationwide Covid lockdown

AUSTRIA: People gather at the Stephansplatz Square in front of the Saint Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna during a nationwide Covid lockdown

CZECH REPUBLIC: The near-empty Venceslas Square in Prague. There is currently a night-time curfew starting at 9pm

CZECH REPUBLIC: The near-empty Venceslas Square in Prague. There is currently a night-time curfew starting at 9pm

FINLAND: Since the late afternoon, a laser show - intended as a substitute for the usual fireworks show - has been playing from the tower of the Olympic stadium in Helsinki

FINLAND: Since the late afternoon, a laser show - intended as a substitute for the usual fireworks show - has been playing from the tower of the Olympic stadium in Helsinki

EGYPT: Midnight fireworks light up Tahya Masr Bridge during New Year's Eve celebrations in Cairo

EGYPT: Midnight fireworks light up Tahya Masr Bridge during New Year's Eve celebrations in Cairo

FRANCE: Policemen control drivers on the Champs Elysees in Paris as an 8pm-6am curfew is implemented to avoid a third wave of Covid-19 infections

FRANCE: Policemen control drivers on the Champs Elysees in Paris as an 8pm-6am curfew is implemented to avoid a third wave of Covid-19 infections

Paris streets are eerily silent as France welcomes in 2021
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FRANCE: The Eiffel Tower is seen illuminated, and its surrounds uncommonly deserted, during New Year's Eve

FRANCE: The Eiffel Tower is seen illuminated, and its surrounds uncommonly deserted, during New Year's Eve

SPAIN: A fireworks display over Puerta del Sol Square. Madrid's regional government has forbidden celebrations for New Year's Eve at the square for the first time in its history - and has extended the curfew time to 1:30am

SPAIN: A fireworks display over Puerta del Sol Square. Madrid's regional government has forbidden celebrations for New Year's Eve at the square for the first time in its history - and has extended the curfew time to 1:30am

SPAIN: Police keep people away from Puerta del Sol square in Madrid, hours before the traditional New Year's Eve chimes in

SPAIN: Police keep people away from Puerta del Sol square in Madrid, hours before the traditional New Year's Eve chimes in

SCOTLAND: A near-deserted Princes Street in Edinburgh - as the time passes midnight, shown on the Balmoral Hotel clock. The city's residents have been told to stay at home rather than go out to celebrate Hogmanay

SCOTLAND: A near-deserted Princes Street in Edinburgh - as the time passes midnight, shown on the Balmoral Hotel clock. The city's residents have been told to stay at home rather than go out to celebrate Hogmanay

GERMANY: A light show and fireworks during a live broadcast of the New Year's eve show 'Welcome 2021' (Willkommen 2021) by public German TV broadcasting station ZDF, in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate

GERMANY: A light show and fireworks during a live broadcast of the New Year's eve show 'Welcome 2021' (Willkommen 2021) by public German TV broadcasting station ZDF, in Berlin at the Brandenburg Gate

GERMANY: Due to restrictive measures taken to fight the coronavirus crisis, no spectators were allowed to attend the Brandenburg Gate event

GERMANY: Due to restrictive measures taken to fight the coronavirus crisis, no spectators were allowed to attend the Brandenburg Gate event

RUSSIA: Fireworks explode behind the towers of the Kremlin during New Year's Day celebrations in Moscow

RUSSIA: Fireworks explode behind the towers of the Kremlin during New Year's Day celebrations in Moscow

RUSSIA:  Local residents hold sparklers as they attend New Year celebrations in Lenina Square, Novosibirsk

RUSSIA:  Local residents hold sparklers as they attend New Year celebrations in Lenina Square, Novosibirsk

RUSSIA: A square decorated for New Year celebrations is almost deserted and without the Holiday Market due to the virus-related restrictions prior to New Year's celebrations in Grozny

RUSSIA: A square decorated for New Year celebrations is almost deserted and without the Holiday Market due to the virus-related restrictions prior to New Year's celebrations in Grozny

RUSSIA: Law enforcement officers wearing protective face masks stand guard near the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower ahead of New Year's Day celebrations in central Moscow

RUSSIA: Law enforcement officers wearing protective face masks stand guard near the Kremlin's Spasskaya Tower ahead of New Year's Day celebrations in central Moscow

RUSSIA: Traffic congestion tonight on a decorated street in Grozny, the capital city of Chechnya

RUSSIA: Traffic congestion tonight on a decorated street in Grozny, the capital city of Chechnya

RUSSIA: Revellers tonight in Manezhnaya Square, Moscow. Access to Red Square was restricted from 6pm local time

RUSSIA: Revellers tonight in Manezhnaya Square, Moscow. Access to Red Square was restricted from 6pm local time

UKRAINE: Revellers, many without protective masks, take part in New Year's Eve celebrations in Kyiv tonight

UKRAINE: Revellers, many without protective masks, take part in New Year's Eve celebrations in Kyiv tonight

BRAZIL: An empty Copacabana beach during New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro. The city decided to close the beaches to avoid crowds due to the pandemic

BRAZIL: An empty Copacabana beach during New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro. The city decided to close the beaches to avoid crowds due to the pandemic

Subdued Rio celebrations mark New Year for Brazilians
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BULGARIA: The Osvoboditel monument is seen in the middle of the empty square tonight in Sofia. Due to Covid measures, the Bulgarian government has banned all open-air celebrations for the end of 2020

BULGARIA: The Osvoboditel monument is seen in the middle of the empty square tonight in Sofia. Due to Covid measures, the Bulgarian government has banned all open-air celebrations for the end of 2020

LITHUANIA: Gediminas Avenue in Vilnius on New Year's Eve - where the government has asked citizens to stay at home

LITHUANIA: Gediminas Avenue in Vilnius on New Year's Eve - where the government has asked citizens to stay at home

ALBANIA: Fireworks explode over the central square of Tirana during New Year's celebrations

ALBANIA: Fireworks explode over the central square of Tirana during New Year's celebrations

LEBANON: A woman wears a protective mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus, as she celebrates the New Year outside a pub in Beirut

LEBANON: A woman wears a protective mask to prevent the spread of coronavirus, as she celebrates the New Year outside a pub in Beirut

SHANGHAI: The Bund waterfront area of the Peal Tower amid a light show during New Year's Eve celebrations in China

SHANGHAI: The Bund waterfront area of the Peal Tower amid a light show during New Year's Eve celebrations in China

SHANGHAI: People take pictures from The Bund waterfront tonight amid the coronavirus pandemic

SHANGHAI: People take pictures from The Bund waterfront tonight amid the coronavirus pandemic

SHANGHAI: A member of the PLA guards regulates pedestrians on The Bund waterfront this evening

SHANGHAI: A member of the PLA guards regulates pedestrians on The Bund waterfront this evening

TAIWAN: Fireworks light up the skyline -
Taipei 101, also known as the Taipei World Financial Centre

TAIWAN: Fireworks light up the skyline - and Taipei 101, also known as the Taipei World Financial Centre

TAIWAN: Huge crowds gathered to watch the new year fireworks in Taipei on New Year's Eve. The spectacular shower of lights erupted from the sides of a building

TAIWAN: Huge crowds gathered to watch the new year fireworks in Taipei on New Year's Eve. The spectacular shower of lights erupted from the sides of a building

USA: An empty Times Square on New Year's Eve in New York. Revellers are forbidden from celebrating there due to Covid

USA: An empty Times Square on New Year's Eve in New York. Revellers are forbidden from celebrating there due to Covid

PHILIPPINES: Fireworks light up the sky during subdued New Year's celebrations as the government banned mass gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Quezon city

PHILIPPINES: Fireworks light up the sky during subdued New Year's celebrations as the government banned mass gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus in Quezon city

SUDAN: A view of the quietly empty Tuty Bridge and its surroundings, amid the pandemic, in Khartoum

SUDAN: A view of the quietly empty Tuty Bridge and its surroundings, amid the pandemic, in Khartoum

PHILIPPINES: People celebrate on the streets as children ride a makeshift motorcycle past a bonfire in Manila

PHILIPPINES: People celebrate on the streets as children ride a makeshift motorcycle past a bonfire in Manila

VIETNAM: Pyrotechnics explode over Turtle Tower on Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi amid the coronavirus pandemic

VIETNAM: Pyrotechnics explode over Turtle Tower on Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi amid the coronavirus pandemic

VIETNAM: Crowds gather - with many people without masks - on a street during New Year's Eve celebrations tonight in Hanoi

VIETNAM: Crowds gather - with many people without masks - on a street during New Year's Eve celebrations tonight in Hanoi

ZIMBABWE: Thousands of people attend a music concert to celebrate the new year in Mbare, Harare - despite a government ban on music concerts and public gatherings due to a surge in Covid infections

ZIMBABWE: Thousands of people attend a music concert to celebrate the new year in Mbare, Harare - despite a government ban on music concerts and public gatherings due to a surge in Covid infections

KENYA: Women wearing face masks pose next to an iconic century-old fig tree decorated with lights in Nairobi

KENYA: Women wearing face masks pose next to an iconic century-old fig tree decorated with lights in Nairobi

IRAQ: People gather at Tahrir square before the New Year celebrations in Baghdad this evening

IRAQ: People gather at Tahrir square before the New Year celebrations in Baghdad this evening

THAILAND: Fireworks erupt over Chao Phraya river during the fireworks show for New Year's Eve in Bangkok

THAILAND: Fireworks erupt over Chao Phraya river during the fireworks show for New Year's Eve in Bangkok

Thailand ushers in the New Year with spectacular fireworks show
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TURKEY: A view of Konak Square, which remains empty tonight after a general curfew imposed from Thursday 9pm to Monday 5am local time as part of measures to combat the second wave of coronavirus

TURKEY: A view of Konak Square, which remains empty tonight after a general curfew imposed from Thursday 9pm to Monday 5am local time as part of measures to combat the second wave of coronavirus

TURKEY: Police officers stop vehicles to check for permission at Bagdad Street in Istanbul after a general curfew was imposed

TURKEY: Police officers stop vehicles to check for permission at Bagdad Street in Istanbul after a general curfew was imposed

SOUTH AFRICA: Police officers search people during New Year's Eve patrols as a nighttime curfew is reimposed in Johannesburg

SOUTH AFRICA: Police officers search people during New Year's Eve patrols as a nighttime curfew is reimposed in Johannesburg

INDIA: An effigy representing the coronavirus disease burns after it was set on fire on New Year's Day in Mumbai

INDIA: An effigy representing the coronavirus disease burns after it was set on fire on New Year's Day in Mumbai

INDIA: Delhi police officers patrol at a checkpoint near Connaught Place ahead of night curfew from 11pm to 6am to avoid gatherings for the New Year celebrations due to the pandemic

INDIA: Delhi police officers patrol at a checkpoint near Connaught Place ahead of night curfew from 11pm to 6am to avoid gatherings for the New Year celebrations due to the pandemic

INDIA: A view of the Gateway of India monument during a curfew to restrict large gatherings in Mumbai

INDIA: A view of the Gateway of India monument during a curfew to restrict large gatherings in Mumbai

DUBAI: Fireworks explode from the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, in the United Arab Emirates

DUBAI: Fireworks explode from the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, in the United Arab Emirates

DUBAI: New Year's Eve fireworks erupt over Ras Al Khaimah, one of the world's largest fireworks shows

DUBAI: New Year's Eve fireworks erupt over Ras Al Khaimah, one of the world's largest fireworks shows

DUBAI: Dubai celebrates the New Year in India by reflecting its national flag on the Burj Khalifa. India and the United Arab Emirates share close ties in many sectors

DUBAI: Dubai celebrates the New Year in India by reflecting its national flag on the Burj Khalifa. India and the United Arab Emirates share close ties in many sectors

PAKISTAN: Revellers enjoy the pyrotechnics display in Rawalpindi in the Punjab province

PAKISTAN: Revellers enjoy the pyrotechnics display in Rawalpindi in the Punjab province

PAKISTAN: People watch fireworks, as coronavirus shows no signs of slowing down, in Karachi tonight

PAKISTAN: People watch fireworks, as coronavirus shows no signs of slowing down, in Karachi tonight

MALAYSIA: A view of Petronas Twin Towers - without a fireworks display - in Kuala Lumpur. The towers are the main focus of fireworks every year... but not this year due to compliance with movement control orders to curb the spread of Covid

MALAYSIA: A view of Petronas Twin Towers - without a fireworks display - in Kuala Lumpur. The towers are the main focus of fireworks every year... but not this year due to compliance with movement control orders to curb the spread of Covid

INDONESIA: Celebrations tonight in Jakarta, as an array of red and yellow fireworks light up the sky

INDONESIA: Celebrations tonight in Jakarta, as an array of red and yellow fireworks light up the sky

SINGAPORE: Crowds gathered in Singapore to welcome in the New Year. Many took photographs while wearing their protective face masks

SINGAPORE: Crowds gathered in Singapore to welcome in the New Year. Many took photographs while wearing their protective face masks

SINGAPORE: Crowds were seen gathered along a bridge to usher in the new year. There was no firework show this year, but many opted to head outdoors to see the lights

SINGAPORE: Crowds were seen gathered along a bridge to usher in the new year. There was no firework show this year, but many opted to head outdoors to see the lights

HONG KONG: Two women wearing light-up head bands pose for a photograph in Hong Kong as they bring in the new year

HONG KONG: Two women wearing light-up head bands pose for a photograph in Hong Kong as they bring in the new year

Hong Kong marks arrival of the New Year with virtual fireworks
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HONG KONG: Police officers wearing protective masks are out in force as they stand guard during the revelry

HONG KONG: Police officers wearing protective masks are out in force as they stand guard during the revelry

HONG KONG: Crowds of people - all wearing face masks - gathered along the water front in Hong Kong to welcome 2021

HONG KONG: Crowds of people - all wearing face masks - gathered along the water front in Hong Kong to welcome 2021

HONG KONG: Revellers walk among police officers at the waterfront of the Victoria Harbor to celebrate ahead of 2021

HONG KONG: Revellers walk among police officers at the waterfront of the Victoria Harbor to celebrate ahead of 2021

HONG KONG: Amazed onlookers snapped pictures of the city lights in Hong Kong. The amazing skyline lit up the night's sky

HONG KONG: Amazed onlookers snapped pictures of the city lights in Hong Kong. The amazing skyline lit up the night's sky

JAPAN: People pray as they celebrate the New Year at the Kanda shrine in Tokyo amid the Covid outbreak. Japanese people traditionally visit shrines and temples to pray for the well-being of their families on New Year's Day

JAPAN: People pray as they celebrate the New Year at the Kanda shrine in Tokyo amid the Covid outbreak. Japanese people traditionally visit shrines and temples to pray for the well-being of their families on New Year's Day

AUCKLAND: In scenes unthinkable in most of the world, 2020 ended with crowds of revellers packed into Queen Street in New Zealand's largest city, as the country became one of the first to greet the dawn of 2021

AUCKLAND: In scenes unthinkable in most of the world, 2020 ended with crowds of revellers packed into Queen Street in New Zealand's largest city, as the country became one of the first to greet the dawn of 2021 


MELBOURNE: These two partygoers started the new year with a kiss as revellers greeted the dawn of 2021 with a party at Federation Square in Australia's second-largest city today

MELBOURNE: These two partygoers started the new year with a kiss as revellers greeted the dawn of 2021 with a party at Federation Square in Australia's second-largest city today 

QUEENSLAND: Partygoers in Queensland paused for a snack while wearing 'Happy New Year' hats. Australia managed to avoid the worst of the pandemic

QUEENSLAND: Partygoers in Queensland paused for a snack while wearing 'Happy New Year' hats. Australia managed to avoid the worst of the pandemic

Although New Zealand is still isolated by international border closures, months of zero recorded cases in the community have allowed life to return to relative normality - with crowds gathering for fireworks in Auckland in scenes which would seem unthinkable to most of the world.   

In Sydney, fireworks lit up the glittering harbour with a dazzling display at midnight, but few spectators were there to watch in person.  

Plans to allow crowds were scrapped amid a cluster of around 150 new infections that have seen travel to and from Sydney severely restricted.  

People were only allowed in Sydney city centre if they have a restaurant reservation or are one of five guests of an inner-city apartment resident. People will not be allowed in the city centre without a permit. 

'I think everybody is looking towards 2021 as a fresh beginning and a fresh start,' Karen Roberts, among the lucky few who were allowed past checkpoints around the area, said at a bar near the Sydney Opera House. 

MELBOURNE: Vast crowds of people sat on the grass in Melbourne as they waited to welcome in the new year. Some wore masks while many others didn't

MELBOURNE: Vast crowds of people sat on the grass in Melbourne as they waited to welcome in the new year. Some wore masks while many others didn't

MELBOURNE: Two women sat on other people's shoulders as they celebrated New Year's Eve on a beach in Melbourne. Several onlookers filmed to festivities

MELBOURNE: Two women sat on other people's shoulders as they celebrated New Year's Eve on a beach in Melbourne. Several onlookers filmed to festivities

MELBOURNE: Huge crowds gathered on a beach in St Kilda, Melbourne, on New Year's Eve. Many didn't wear masks

MELBOURNE: Huge crowds gathered on a beach in St Kilda, Melbourne, on New Year's Eve. Many didn't wear masks

MELBOURNE: Partygoers went mask-free as they danced the last few moments of 2020 away in St Kilda, Melbourne, tonight

MELBOURNE: Partygoers went mask-free as they danced the last few moments of 2020 away in St Kilda, Melbourne, tonight

AUCKLAND: Fireworks streamed from the SkyTower in New Zealand in the first moments of January 1, 2021 as an exhausted world started to put a year of disease, death and unparalleled restrictions on normal life behind it

AUCKLAND: Fireworks streamed from the SkyTower in New Zealand in the first moments of January 1, 2021 as an exhausted world started to put a year of disease, death and unparalleled restrictions on normal life behind it 

QUEENSLAND: One couple kissed to welcome in the New Year in Queensland. Australia has fended off the worst of the pandemic

QUEENSLAND: One couple kissed to welcome in the New Year in Queensland. Australia has fended off the worst of the pandemic

MELBOURNE: A woman was seen posing for pictures on the streets of St Kilda, Melbourne, as she welcomed in the new year
MELBOURNE: One woman poses for the camera on New Year's Eve

MELBOURNE: A woman was seen posing for pictures on the streets of St Kilda, Melbourne, as she welcomed in the new year

QUEENSLAND: A crowd of revellers dressed in matching white outfits and wearing 'Happy New Year' crowns pose for a photo

QUEENSLAND: A crowd of revellers dressed in matching white outfits and wearing 'Happy New Year' crowns pose for a photo

'Scaled back' firework display takes place in Sydney to see in 2021
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QUEENSLAND: One group posed for a picture with their arms around each other as they welcomed in the new year in Australia

QUEENSLAND: One group posed for a picture with their arms around each other as they welcomed in the new year in Australia

SYDNEY: The fireworks were as spectacular as ever at Sydney Harbour Bridge but there were few spectators in the harbour to greet the opening moments of January 1, 2021 


MELBOURNE: In In Australia, which has also fended off the worst of the pandemic, life was normal enough for small crowds to gather in Melbourne and Sydney

MELBOURNE: In In Australia, which has also fended off the worst of the pandemic, life was normal enough for small crowds to gather in Melbourne and Sydney

Huge crowds in Auckland
Revellers mark the new year in Auckland

AUCKLAND: In New Zealand, where only 25 people have ever died of Covid-19 and restrictions are virtually non-existent, crowds of partygoers packed into Auckland streets to mark the new year

SYDNEY: Fireworks explode over Sydney's opera house and harbour bridge as celebrations begin in the first seconds of 2021

SYDNEY: Fireworks explode over Sydney's opera house and harbour bridge as celebrations begin in the first seconds of 2021


AUCKLAND: Fireworks went off as New Zealand became the first major country to cross the invisible threshold and enter 2021, after a year in which it became a rare success story during the global coronavirus pandemic

AUCKLAND: Fireworks went off as New Zealand became the first major country to cross the invisible threshold and enter 2021, after a year in which it became a rare success story during the global coronavirus pandemic 


MELBOURNE: Two people take a selfie in front of a neon Happy New Year sign in the last hours of December 31 in Australia

MELBOURNE: Two people take a selfie in front of a neon Happy New Year sign in the last hours of December 31 in Australia 

A well-dressed woman in Melbourne
Two people on the streets of Melbourne

MELBOURNE: Some revellers were seen in the city on New Year's Eve, in a part of Australia which saw a major outbreak in the Southern Hemisphere winter but has since returned to very low levels of infection 


SYDNEY: New Year revellers enjoyed drinks at the Opera Bar in Sydney as midnight approached, with the firework display shortened and crowds kept to a minimum because of coronavirus

SYDNEY: New Year revellers enjoyed drinks at the Opera Bar in Sydney as midnight approached, with the firework display shortened and crowds kept to a minimum because of coronavirus 

VLADIVOSTOK: Fireworks explode over the city centre as Russia's far east became one of the first places to see 2021

VLADIVOSTOK: Fireworks explode over the city centre as Russia's far east became one of the first places to see 2021 

WUHAN: In the city where the coronavirus first surfaced a year ago, a light show was projected on buildings by a river on New Year's Eve as China holds low-key events to mark January 1 in a country where the Lunar New Year is more prominent

WUHAN: In the city where the coronavirus first surfaced a year ago, a light show was projected on buildings by a river on New Year's Eve as China holds low-key events to mark January 1 in a country where the Lunar New Year is more prominent 

NEW YORK CITY: A stage was put up in Times Square where the famous ball drop will take place at midnight, but police will block spectators from gathering to get a glimpse 

NEW YORK CITY: Police attend a muster point near Times Square ahead of New Year's Eve amid the coronavirus disease

NEW YORK CITY: Police attend a muster point near Times Square ahead of New Year's Eve amid the coronavirus disease

NEW YORK CITY: Attendees watch a performance near Times Square during 2021 New Year's Eve celebrations on Thursday in New York City

NEW YORK CITY: Attendees watch a performance near Times Square during 2021 New Year's Eve celebrations on Thursday in New York City

NEW YORK CITY: Revelers lit fireworks during a modified celebration of New Year's Day near Times Square on Thursday

NEW YORK CITY: Revelers lit fireworks during a modified celebration of New Year's Day near Times Square on Thursday

NEW YORK CITY: A man chugged a bottle of alcohol when the clock struck 12am Friday morning

NEW YORK CITY: A man chugged a bottle of alcohol when the clock struck 12am Friday morning 

NEW YORK CITY: A man is seen wearing 2021 glasses while standing near the Times Square area on Thursday

NEW YORK CITY: A man is seen wearing 2021 glasses while standing near the Times Square area on Thursday 


Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide cancelled their displays to avoid large gatherings and possible community transmission of the virus. 

Kiribati and Samoa were the first to cross the threshold of 2021 at 10am GMT, with the last Pacific islands set to follow them 26 hours later. 

Although the Pacific islands were spared the worst ravages of the pandemic, border restrictions, curfews and lockdowns meant this New Year's Eve was still a little different. 


At the palm-fringed Taumeasina resort in Samoa, manager Tuiataga Nathan Bucknall was pleased to be open without a limit on guest numbers, but thanks to a state of emergency stopped serving alcohol at 11 pm.

In harder-hit countries such as Italy - where shocking images of makeshift morgues and exhausted medics first awoke the world to the horror of the pandemic last spring - curfews and lockdowns are still in force.

In London, American singer-songwriter Patti Smith will ring in the New Year with a tribute to NHS workers who have died from Covid-19, projected on the screen at Piccadilly Circus and streamed on YouTube. 

And in New York, the famous ball drop in Times Square will unfold this year without the usual throngs of cheering revellers. Police will block off the area so that spectators cannot even get a glimpse.   

NORTH KOREA: A huge crowd gathered for the hoisting of the national flag in Pyongyang to herald the New Year

NORTH KOREA: A huge crowd gathered for the hoisting of the national flag in Pyongyang to herald the New Year 

North Korea stages New Year's Eve show despite COVID-19 restrictions
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NORTH KOREA: A fireworks display decorates the night sky to celebrate the New Year at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang

NORTH KOREA: A fireworks display decorates the night sky to celebrate the New Year at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang

NORTH KOREA: Dancers perform during celebrations in Pyongyang this evening

NORTH KOREA: Dancers perform during celebrations in Pyongyang this evening

NORTH KOREA: People watch the flag raising ceremony and fireworks display at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang

NORTH KOREA: People watch the flag raising ceremony and fireworks display at Kim Il Sung Square in Pyongyang


LONDON: Fencing was put up around parts of Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square ahead of New Year's Eve, with London and most of the UK's population effectively back in lockdown because of resurgent coronavirus cases

LONDON: Fencing was put up around parts of Trafalgar Square and Parliament Square ahead of New Year's Eve, with London and most of the UK's population effectively back in lockdown because of resurgent coronavirus cases 


AUCKLAND: A spectacular firework display erupts from the SkyTower as the first major nation to cross the threshold in to 2021 became almost the only one to hold full-throated New Year festivities

AUCKLAND: A spectacular firework display erupts from the SkyTower as the first major nation to cross the threshold in to 2021 became almost the only one to hold full-throated New Year festivities 

AUCKLAND: Crowds begin to gather by the waterfront in New Zealand, which sealed its borders early in the pandemic and has suffered only 2,162 infections and 25 deaths all year, numbers which seem miraculous in most of the West 

MELBOURNE: People walk past Flinders Street station during Australian New Year's Eve celebrations in the last hours of 2020

MELBOURNE: People walk past Flinders Street station during Australian New Year's Eve celebrations in the last hours of 2020

Taiwan enters 2021 with dashing firework from highest tower
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SYDNEY: People have dinner on the waterfront in Australia, one of the first nations to cross the threshold of 2021 and also one of the few where the country's relative success against the pandemic means that some degree of festivities can take place

SYDNEY: People have dinner on the waterfront in Australia, one of the first nations to cross the threshold of 2021 and also one of the few where the country's relative success against the pandemic means that some degree of festivities can take place 

MELBOURNE: A group of people queue for a venue with no social distancing or mask, a scene unthinkable in much of the world during the long months of the pandemic and resulting lockdown

MELBOURNE: A group of people queue for a venue with no social distancing or mask, a scene unthinkable in much of the world during the long months of the pandemic and resulting lockdown 

MELBOURNE: Although some people were able to gather in person, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide have cancelled their displays to avoid large gathering and community transmission of the virus

MELBOURNE: Although some people were able to gather in person, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide have cancelled their displays to avoid large gathering and community transmission of the virus

SYDNEY: Police are seen patrolling an eerily quiet Circular Quay on New Year's Eve as Sydneysiders are encouraged to watch the midnight fireworks display from home

SYDNEY: Police are seen patrolling an eerily quiet Circular Quay on New Year's Eve as Sydneysiders are encouraged to watch the midnight fireworks display from home

SYDNEY: After darkness fell, there were boats in the harbour but only a few spectators were allowed past checkpoints around the area to watch the midnight fireworks in person

SYDNEY: After darkness fell, there were boats in the harbour but only a few spectators were allowed past checkpoints around the area to watch the midnight fireworks in person 

Hong Kong quietly celebrates 2021 as fireworks show got cancelled
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SYDNEY: A group of mates clad in sombreros head into Sydney's city to farewell 2020 - but they won't have much company

SYDNEY: A group of mates clad in sombreros head into Sydney's city to farewell 2020 - but they won't have much company

VLADIVOSTOK: People gather around a Christmas tree in the far east of Russia, where some parts of the giant country were among the first to cross the threshold of 2021 

Since it surfaced in China in late 2019, the coronavirus has infected more than 80million people and led to nearly 1.8million deaths, the majority of them in Europe and the Americas. 

Although mass vaccination efforts have begun in many countries in recent weeks, offering hope that the end of the pandemic is in sight, it is likely to be months before normal life can return in most of the world.  

In China, where the Lunar New Year generally takes precedence over January 1, a countdown ceremony will take place in Beijing with just a few invited guests while other planned events have been cancelled.   

Hong Kong, with its British colonial history and large expatriate population, has usually seen raucous celebrations along the waterfront and in bar districts.

For the second year running, however, New Year's Eve fireworks have been cancelled, this time over coronavirus rather than public security concerns. 

In Japan, some people skipped what is customarily a chance to return to ancestral homes for the holidays, hoping to lessen health risks for extended families.

Rural restaurants saw business drop, while home deliveries of traditional New Year's 'good luck' food called 'osechi' boomed.

Emperor Naruhito is delivering a video message instead of waving from a window with the imperial family as cheering crowds visit the palace.

LONDON: Winston Churchill's statue is surrounded by fencing as authorities in the UK urge people to stay at home on New Year's Eve. It comes months after the Churchill monument was covered up for different reasons during race protests

LONDON: Winston Churchill's statue is surrounded by fencing as authorities in the UK urge people to stay at home on New Year's Eve. It comes months after the Churchill monument was covered up for different reasons during race protests 

SEOUL: Festive decorations on display outside a department store in the capital of South Korea, where cases have risen sharply in recent weeks after generally staying at low levels during 2020

SEOUL: Festive decorations on display outside a department store in the capital of South Korea, where cases have risen sharply in recent weeks after generally staying at low levels during 2020 

ISTANBUL: Divers prepare to stage a symbolic journey underwater from Gurpinar Beach, wishing for a new year 'without a pandemic'

ISTANBUL: Divers prepare to stage a symbolic journey underwater from Gurpinar Beach, wishing for a new year 'without a pandemic' 

NETHERLANDS: A man takes part in a traditional 'carbide shooting' in Holland, which is currently enduring its strictest measures yet in a month-long lockdown due to last until at least January 19

NETHERLANDS: A man takes part in a traditional 'carbide shooting' in Holland, which is currently enduring its strictest measures yet in a month-long lockdown due to last until at least January 19 

JAPAN: Shinto priests walk h a wooden gate in a ritual to purify sin and foulness on the final day of the year, at a shrine in Tokyo. Japan is suffering a resurgence of virus cases after generally keeping numbers fairly low

JAPAN: Shinto priests walk h a wooden gate in a ritual to purify sin and foulness on the final day of the year, at a shrine in Tokyo. Japan is suffering a resurgence of virus cases after generally keeping numbers fairly low 

In Dubai, thousands are expected to attend a fireworks and a laser show at Burj Khalifa, the world's tallest tower, despite a slew of new cases.

All those attending the event - whether at a public place, hotel or restaurant - will be required to wear masks and register with QR codes.

In Beirut, a city still reeling from the August 4 port explosion, authorities are also cutting loose. A night curfew has been pushed back to 3am. Bars, restaurants and night clubs have all reopened and are advertising large parties to mark the turn of the year.

Social media networks are already inundated with images and videos of packed clubs and restaurants, leading authorities to warn that a new lockdown may come into force after the holidays.

The fears of such a New Year hangover are widespread, and there are ominous signs that new strains of the virus may make the coming months even tougher.

In Brazil - which has already recorded more than 193,000 Covid-19 deaths, the second-largest number in the world - fearful medics await a new wave.

In recent days, social media has been filled with videos showing mask-less revellers enjoying a night out and television channels have even shown live images of police closing bars full of customers.

'The pandemic peak was between May and July, which was when there wasn't a lot of movement and we looked after ourselves more. Now there are many cases and people are acting as if there wasn't a pandemic,' said Luiz Gustavo de Almeida, a microbiologist at the University of Sao Paulo.

Wish you were in Wuhan (they're having a better New Year than you)? Pandemic epicentre celebrates as rest of the world scales down party to send off a year blighted by Covid-19 Wish you were in Wuhan (they're having a better New Year than you)? Pandemic epicentre celebrates as rest of the world scales down party to send off a year blighted by Covid-19 Reviewed by Your Destination on January 01, 2021 Rating: 5

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