Originally posted by the Voice of America. Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America, a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in the public domain. COVID-19 Clouds World New Year's Party by VOA News Around the world, many countries have already said goodbye to 2021 and welcomed 2022 with canceled or scaled-down New Year's Eve celebrations for the second year in a row, because of the coronavirus pandemic and the omicron variant's spread. However, the strain's decreased severity has offered people hope in the coming year. Japan In Japan, people participated in a variety of celebrations. Some planned trips to spend the holiday with their families or visited temples and shrines on New Year's Eve. However, many Japanese chose to celebrate in more traditional ways, following the lifting of coronavirus restrictions. For instance, in downtown Tokyo people dined out, spent the night drinking or visited shops. Authorities, though, did take some action to curb the virus' spread. Celebrations were banned in Tokyo's Shibuya entertainment district, and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida addressed the nation on YouTube, asking citizens to wear masks and limit the number of people at gatherings. Australia Hours before the start of Australia's celebrations, health authorities announced a record number of COVID-19 infections -- 32,000, many in Sydney. Amid the surge, authorities expected smaller crowds at celebrations than in years prior. Festivities, though, continued as planned. The world-renowned fireworks display from the Sydney Harbor Bridge and the Sydney Opera House lit the night sky with vibrant colors, while people watched from boats, ushering in the new year. New Zealand Although the country has not reported any community spread of the omicron variant, New Zealand took considerable COVID-19 precautions. Authorities canceled several fireworks displays, such as the one atop Auckland's Sky Tower. In place of the tradition, Auckland celebrated with light displays projected on the tower and on other city landmarks. South Korea Restrictions and cancellations were also in place in South Korea. Seoul's annual New Year's Eve bell-ringing was canceled for the second consecutive year because of an increase in COVID-19 cases. Officials instead announced that a prerecorded video of the bell-ringing would be broadcast on television and online. The event, which began in 1953, has traditionally drawn tens of thousands of spectators, and last year's festivities were the first to be canceled. South Korean authorities also planned to close many tourist attractions and beaches along the east coast. On Friday, they also announced that strict social distancing rules would be extended for two weeks. India Nighttime curfews and restrictions forced millions in India to celebrate the new year from their homes. In Mumbai, authorities banned all New Year's celebrations, including at hotels, restaurants, bars and pubs, indoors or in open spaces. Curfews were also imposed for restaurants. New Delhi's authorities also enforced similar measures. However, in other cities, restrictions were not as strict. Goa and Hyderabad did not have night curfews because of fewer infections, but did keep other restrictions in place. Indonesia The Indonesian government's ban on celebrations meant many citizens rang in the new year in a much quieter manner, with evenings spent at home. Fireworks displays, parades and large gatherings were prohibited in Jakarta, where authorities also closed 11 roads that typically draw large crowds for the holiday. Restaurants and malls remained open, but with a curfew. Vietnam In Vietnam, fireworks displays and celebrations were also canceled. Authorities in Hanoi closed central streets, and in Ho Chi Minh City, audiences were banned from watching live countdown performances, which were instead shown on social media. Hong Kong Hong Kong hosted its first New Year's Eve event since 2018, preceding the cancellation of events in 2019 because of the pandemic and political issues, with an open-air concert featuring local celebrities, including the popular boy band Mirror, and about 3,000 in attendance. Despite the celebration, authorities did appeal to citizens on Friday not to attend New Year's celebrations, but did not impose cancellations because the territory has not reported cases of the omicron variant. China Within China, festivities were canceled or scaled down. In Shanghai, the government canceled several events, including the annual light show along the Huangpu River in the city center, which typically attracts hundreds of thousands of attendees. The government also asked citizens to avoid leaving Beijing if possible. In the capital, there were no public festivities planned and popular temples were either closed or remained open with limited visitor access. Temples in the eastern cities of Nanjing and Hangzhou also canceled traditional New Year's Eve "lucky bell-ringing" ceremonies and asked the public not to visit. Thailand Under strict COVID-19 safety measures, Thailand's authorities allowed New Year's Eve parties and fireworks displays to continue. Despite the emergence of the omicron variant, authorities hoped restrictions would mitigate its spread, while also allowing people to celebrate, in an effort to aid its damaged tourism sector. New Year's Eve prayers, typically hosted in Buddhist temples around the country, also took place online. The Philippines Following highly destructive Typhoon Rai two weeks ago, New Year's Eve celebrations in the Philippines were severely hampered. A half million homes were destroyed in the storm; the death toll has surpassed 400, and 82 people remain missing. South Africa While it was the epicenter of the omicron variant, South Africans are now able to ring in the new year with traditional festivities. The country announced that many restrictions, including a nighttime curfew, would be lifted ahead of the holiday, because of the apparent peak in its fourth wave of COVID-19. Without a midnight-to-4 a.m. curfew, citizens may ring in the new year, offering some hope to the rest of the world as it battles the disease's newest variant. Some information in this report came from The Associated Press and Reuters.