New Zealand has essentially eliminated coronavirus
The nation has no active or new cases, but is keeping its borders closed while lifting most other restrictions.
- I've been covering technology and mobile for 12 years, first as a telecommunications reporter and assistant editor at ZDNet in Australia, then as CNET's West Coast head of breaking news, and now in the Thought Leadership team.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday announces no new or active COVID-19 cases.
There are no new or active cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday. The nation has had just over 1,500 coronavirus cases and 22 deaths in total. But now it has no active cases for the first time since February. Ardern said there's still "a long road to travel yet," but New Zealand is lifting most of its COVID-19 restrictions.
"We are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus in New Zealand," Ardern said Monday. "But elimination is not a point in time, it is a sustained effort."
New Zealand's borders remain closed except to citizens and residents. Any new arrivals to the nation must quarantine for two weeks. Other COVID-19 restrictions have now been lifted.
The last new case was reported 17 days ago, with around 300,000 people in total tested in New Zealand. The nation has a population of almost 5 million. By comparison, the US is leading the world with almost 2 million cases and more than 110,000 COVID-19 deaths, according to tracking numbers from John Hopkins University and Medicine.
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