UPDATE 2-Serbia backpedals from planned weekend lockdown after protests

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BELGRADE, July 9 (Reuters) - Serbia on Thursday dropped plans for a weekend lockdown in the capital to curb a new spread of the coronavirus after two days of violent protests against any reimposition of restrictions.

A government crisis group tasked with fighting the virus decided instead on a more limited ban on outdoor and indoor public gatherings of more than 10 people to minimize the risk of further infections.

It also said that working hours at indoor restaurants and cafes would have to end at 9 p.m.

"The lockdown would have been be the most efficient measure...but we decided to take this interim step instead," Prime Minister Ana Brnabic told reporters after the crisis group meeting.

She did not rule out weekend lockdowns in the future if the new set of measures fails to yield results, warning that the healthcare system in the capital Belgrade was "about to break up" due to a high number of patients.

President Aleksandar Vucic's announcement earlier this week that a weekend lockdown would be necessary sparked unrest in Belgrade and several other Serbian cities.

The demonstrations were at first driven by anger and frustration over economically-stifling measures to contain the pandemic but evolved quickly into anti-government rallies with participants demanding Vucic's resignation.

Serbia, a country of 7 million, has so far reported 17,076 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 341 deaths. Health authorities say hospitals are running at full capacity and staff are exhausted. The number of new infections rose to 357 on Wednesday from 299 on Tuesday.

Critics say government decisions to allow soccer matches, religious festivities, parties and private gatherings to resume (last month, or in May??) and parliamentary elections to go ahead on June 21 are to blame for the new surge in infections.

The government blames a lack of sanitary discipline among the public, especially in nightclubs.

(Reporting by Ivana Sekularac and Aleksandar Vasovic; Editing by Mark Heinrich)