[ad_1]
Jacinda Ardern Says New Zealand Has ‘Beat Coronavirus Again’ After Second Covid-19 Wave Is Contained
- New Zealand to relax COVID-19 restrictions after overcoming Auckland outbreak
- Jacinda Ardern announced Monday that Auckland would return to ‘level one’
- The city has been 10 days without community transmission of the virus
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern declared on Monday that New Zealand “ beat the virus again ” and announced that restrictions would be eased in the country’s largest city, after a second wave of Covid-19 was contained.
The virus was believed to have been eradicated in late May after a strict national lockdown led New Zealanders to enjoy 102 days without community transmission.
But a new group emerged in Auckland in August, forcing the city of 1.5 million to close for nearly three weeks.
With no new confirmed cases in Auckland for 12 days, Ardern said on Monday the virus was now under control and congratulated residents on enduring the second lockdown.
Four months after the virus was first cleared, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern (pictured left, with Clarke Gayford arriving to cast her votes on the first day of early voting during New Zealand’s general election in Auckland on Saturday) announced on Monday Auckland would return to ‘level one’
The number of cases has dropped significantly in recent weeks and on Monday health officials announced a 10th day in a row with no community transmission.
“All the signs are that it is now under control,” Ardern said after chairing a virtual cabinet meeting in Christchurch.
“Auckland residents and New Zealanders have stuck to the plan twice and beat the virus again. We lowered our heads and moved on.
Now there is a 95% chance that the group will be eliminated. We are sure it has been contained. ‘
Auckland was the center of a new outbreak in August, which brought 179 new cases and three new deaths. Pictured: Residents walk down Queen Street in Auckland on September 24
Auckland’s shift will take place at midnight on Wednesday.
Under the change, there are no restrictions on social gatherings, allowing the second round of the Bledisloe Cup in Auckland on October 18 to be played in front of a packed stadium at Eden Park.
‘This is positive news that [Auckland fans] you will be able to enjoy Test Match rugby, ‘New Zealand Rugby said in a statement.
He shows a growing appetite for risk-taking by the Ardern government, which is likely to be re-elected on October 17.
But Ardern cautioned that success could not be taken for granted.
He noted a decrease in the use of the official Covid-19 tracking app and a decrease in virus test numbers.
“A resurgence of the virus is not our only concern, the resurgence of complacency is there as well,” Ardern said.
In June, Ms Ardern moved New Zealand to level one after 40 days without community transmission; a month more than what has been registered after the new outbreak.
New Zealand continues to register new cases within its border regime, with 22 international arrivals testing positive for the virus in the past week while in mandatory isolation.
New Zealand has recorded just 25 deaths from Covid-19 in a population of five million, with 40 active cases in the country on Monday.
