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Countries Juggle New Year's Celebrations With Ongoing Pandemic Concerns

Updated at 8:47 p.m. ET

Much like the rest of 2020, New Year's celebrations look very different this year.

While large masses of people usually congregate in major cities around the world on New Year's Eve, many places are attempting to curb crowd sizes as the coronavirus continues to dominate public health concerns.

The clock has already struck midnight in a majority of the Eastern Hemisphere. Here's a look at how people are celebrating during the pandemic:

Sydney

Tokyo

Manila, Philippines

Hong Kong

A crowd walks through Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor, a spot usually dedicated to larger New Year's celebrations, including fireworks, which were canceled this time.
Kin Cheung / AP
/
AP
A crowd walks through Hong Kong's Victoria Harbor, a spot usually dedicated to larger New Year's celebrations, including fireworks, which were canceled this time.

Mumbai, India

Moscow

Cairo

Paris

Rome

Brussels

The Grand Place in downtown Brussels stands nearly deserted as residents remain under curfew.
Francisco Seco / AP
/
AP
The Grand Place in downtown Brussels stands nearly deserted as residents remain under curfew.

Ajdovščina, Slovenia

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Elena Moore is a political reporter assigned to NPR’s Washington Desk. She covers breaking news at the White House, Congress and other government agencies for all NPR platforms.