New Zealand reported zero new cases of coronavirus for a second day in a row on Tuesday and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern promised to eradicate the pathogen affecting nearly five million people from the world entirely.
Ardern attended the Australia’s Coronavirus cabinet meeting on Tuesday as neighboring countries consider reopening their borders to fly following their progress in suppressing the disease.
There were 1,487 confirmed and probable Covid-19 cases in New Zealand, with 86 per cent of them now recovered. Seven people are hospitalized. Twenty people died from the virus, however no more deaths were reported.
Although the prospect has many dreaming of a future outside the limits of COVID-19 in both nations, Ms Ardern’s main appeal to New Zealanders is one directed at countering complacency.
‘Two days in a row attaining zero cases is the product of New Zealanders displaying dedication and consistency to our target,’ she said.
“It’s cause for celebration … It’s important that we show that it’s symbolic of everybody’s contribution,” said Ashley Bloomfield, New Zealand’s Health Director-General .
She further added, “I don’t want to downplay that but we need to be careful again.”
The last time there were no new Covid-19 cases on a single day in New Zealand was on March 16, ahead of the national lockdown put in on March 25 and regardless of health officials’ regular updates – when the overall number of cases was increasing by one to two at a time.
Under the so-called Level 3 limits, gatherings of up to 10 individuals are only permitted for activities like marriages or funerals, down from the highest Level 4.
In the next week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to announce if the country will step down to Level 2, in which 500 meetings will be permitted.
‘The true test is later this week when we are taking into consideration for the virus in the incubation phase and the time required for patients to develop symptoms, and that is normally five or six days after transmission, said Ashley Bloomfeild.
New Zealand is also proposing a ‘bubble’ travel with Australia which might enable people to fly between both the two countries.
After similarly implementing early travel bans, Australia has achieved success in getting the situation under control.
Today Ardern will join her counterpart Scott Morrison and Australian state leaders in an online conference to discuss the proposal ‘trans-Tasman bubble.