New York has held its traditional public New Year's countdown event in Times Square for the first time in two years.

The countdown started one minute before midnight with the remaining time shown on a large screen.

Afterwards, a fireworks display lit up the sky.

People shouted "Happy New Year," hugged each other and danced to celebrate the arrival of the New Year.

However, the city's daily tally of new coronavirus cases continues to top 40,000 due to the spread of the Omicron variant.

City officials allowed 15,000 people, or about a quarter of the crowd seen in a normal year, to take part in the celebrations.

Attendees were required to show proof of vaccination and to wear facemasks.