Byron Bay Bluesfest cancelled for second year running after COVID-19 case found

The Byron Bay Blues Festival has been cancelled after a local COVID-19 infection was discovered overnight.

The event was supposed to start tomorrow, and organisers were expecting up to 15,000 people to attend.

In a statement, NSW Health acknowledged the event’s cancellation was “disappointing” but reiterated that urgent contact tracing was taking place.

“NSW Health advises that the Minister for Health (Brad Hazzard) has signed a public health order cancelling the planned Bluesfest over the Easter period,” the statement said.

“This action is being taken to minimise the risk of the highly infectious COVID-19 variant of concern being transmitted in the local area, as well as across states and territories.

“Infectious Queensland travellers…