Nine people taken to hospital from Listen Out music festival

Nine people taken to hospital from Sydney’s Listen Out Festival, majority of cases drug related.

The crowd at one of the stages at Listen Out Music Festival in Centennial Park, Sydney Picture: News Corp

Nine people were taken to hospital from the Listen Out Festival on Saturday night, with over half the cases believed to be drug related.

According to The Daily Telegraph NSW Health said drugs were likely to have been a factor in six of the cases. All were people believed to be aged in their 20s.

Nine people were taken to hospital from the Listen Out Festival Picture: News Corp

Following five drug-related deaths last summer organisers had to adhere to strict new regulations in a bid to avoid fatal drug overdoses.

There was a strong presence of police, security guards and paramedics stationed at both Listen Out in Sydney and Yours and Owls in Wollongong — the first two events of the NSW music festival season.

Police with sniffer dogs patrolling the festival Picture: News Corp

More than 30,000 people flocked to the over-18s Listen Out event at Centennial Park. While most made it through the gates, dozens were denied entry, while some were escorted from inside the venue, said The Daily Telegraph.

A festival goer is escorted by police Picture: News Corp

Despite Labor, the Shooters and Greens MPs overturning tougher music festival regulations in the NSW Upper House, organisers of the festival agreed to adhere to strict measures. Premier Gladys Berejiklian commended Listen Out organisers for working with authorities to “act as though the regulations are still in place”, said The Daily Telegraph.

At last year’s Listen Out event in Sydney, NSW Health said 10 people had been taken to hospital for drug-related illness.

The figure was up from seven hospital admissions due to drug related illnesses at the 2017 event and more than triple the three admissions in 2016.