New Zealand declares virus victory and lifted all domestic coronavirus restrictions on Monday after its final Covid-19 patient was given the all-clear, with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealing she danced around her living room when told about the milestone.
While strict border controls will remain in place, Ardern said restrictions such as social distancing and limits on public gatherings were no longer needed.
The stunning announcement came on Monday when the country’s health officials said that it has no active cases of Covid-19. The Pacific island nation is among only a handful of countries that have emerged from the pandemic, which first gripped the United States and has now turned Latin American into a hotspot.
Today is a significant milestone as we announce that the last active case of COVID-19 in New Zealand has recovered.
This means there are now 0 active cases in New Zealand.
Thank you for staying home, playing it safe and for supporting those fighting the virus ? pic.twitter.com/11VdRxflWd— Unite Against COVID-19 (@covid19nz) June 8, 2020
There have been no new infections for 17 days and, until Monday, just one active case for more than a week.
Details of the final patient were not released for privacy reasons but it is believed to be a woman aged in her 50s who was linked to a cluster at an Auckland nursing home.
Ardern said the sacrifices made by New Zealanders, including a drastic seven-week lockdown that helped curb infection rates, had been rewarded now that there were no active cases in the country.
New Zealand’s move down to Level 1, the lowest rating on its four-tier virus response system, means nightclubs can operate without dance floor restrictions and theatres will reopen.
It also means sporting events can proceed with crowds in the stands, a change New Zealand Rugby (NZR) said offered it’s Super Rugby Aotearoa competition the opportunity to achieve a world-first when it kicks off this weekend.
How did the country become Virus-free?
The success in tackling the deadly virus can be attributed to PM Jacinda Ardern’s effective leadership, locking down early, social distancing, and aggressive testing. Unlike other countries, New Zealand’s response to Covid-19 was relatively fast and the implementation surely paid off.
New Zealand had also been testing the public at one of the highest rates in the world and a total of 267,435 coronavirus tests have been conducted in the country.
