Updated 5pm

The New Year's Eve show in Palace Square, Valletta has been cancelled in view of the COVID-19 situation, the Valletta Cultural Agency said on Thursday.

The planned programme will instead be presented on television and carried on  TVM, ONE and NET TV.

The announcement was made after Health Minister Chris Fearne said that stand-up events will be banned from Monday, will the only exception being weddings and funerals.

The agency had been hoping it could go ahead with the show, observing protocols currently in force, but COVID numbers soared in recent days as the Omicron variant of the virus was confirmed in Malta.

The Valletta New Year’s Eve celebrations last year were also cancelled and replaced by a TV show.  

Another cancelled event is Bethlehem f'Għajnsielem.

In a post on Facebook, the organisers said that in view of the current circumstances and the remaining days of Bethlehem f’Għajnsielem are being cancelled.

"We are doing so with a heavy heart especially when considering the great efforts and the endless time of preparations to make this event happen."

They said that health was a priority both for animators and visitors and a number of animators were in quarantine.

 

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