New zealand now has just one active covid-19 case

New Zealand is now right down to just one active COVID-19 case, reaching a replacement level of success in its fight against the coronavirus. The last time a replacement case was reported within the country was quite every week ago; nobody is currently hospitalized with the disease caused by the coronavirus.

The news came on an equivalent day that the country further eased its restrictions on the general public. it'll now permit gatherings of up to 100 people — clearing the way for weddings, parties, funerals, and other large events. Restaurants also can host up to 100 people, as long as safety protocols are followed.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has repeatedly urged caution, whilst she has celebrated a string of successes in combating COVID-19.

When Ardern announced last month that the country had eliminated community transmission, she said, "We have won that battle," and added, "But we must remain vigilant if we are to stay it that way."

The prime minister is credited with taking decisive and early action to attenuate the coronavirus's impact on her country.

"In mid-March, as cases were exploding in Italy and Spain, Ardern ordered anyone entering New Zealand into quarantine," NPR's Jason Beaubien reports. "At that time, the country had confirmed just six cases. a couple of days later, on Saint Joseph, Ardern pack up visits the country, essentially banning all foreigners from entering the island nation of 4.8 million."

The prime minister also explained the "unprecedented" threat posed by the coronavirus and therefore the countries decide to tackle it, laying out a four-stage lockdown system that closed schools, businesses, and travel.

That system worked well, allowing New Zealand to allow businesses and schools to reopen earlier this month.

In a bid to assist the country's economy by bolstering domestic tourism, Ardern has also urged businesses to think about allowing employees to figure a four-day week.

Overall, New Zealand has reported a complete of 1,154 confirmed and 350 probable cases of COVID-19. Twenty-two people have died.

With seven more people having to recover from COVID-19 late in the week, the amount of recovered cases now stands at 1,481, the ministry says.

Worldwide, the four countries with the very best numbers of confirmed cases are the U.S. — with quite 1.7 million cases — followed by Brazil, Russia, and therefore the UK .