New Zealand has no cases of active COVID-19 after the country’s last patient has been fully released and released from isolation, health officials said on Monday.
The milestone was “very good news” and an accomplishment that all of New Zealand could celebrate, said health department director Ashley Bloomfield.
“Having no active cases for the first time since February 28 is certainly an important mark in our journey but, as we have already said, continued vigilance against COVID-19 will continue to be essential”, he said in a statement.
New Zealand has won praise for its handling of the pandemic, which involved a strict seven-week lockdown that ended last month after the virus was brought under control.
The South Pacific nation, with a population of five million, has recorded 1,154 confirmed cases and 22 deaths.
There have been no new infections for 17 days and, until Monday, only one case active for more than a week.
Details of the last patient were not released for reasons of confidentiality, but it is believed to be a woman in her 50s who was linked to a cluster in an Auckland nursing home.
“(The) remaining case has been symptomless for 48 hours and is considered cured. The person has now been released from isolation,” said the health department.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to announce later Monday that New Zealand will be upgraded to Level 1 this week, the lowest score in its four-level antivirus response system.
As part of this change, restrictions on international borders will remain in place, but final internal restrictions – such as limits on public gatherings and mandatory social distancing – will be removed.
(With the exception of the title, this story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
