New Zealand ERADICATES coronavirus: Jacinda Ardern wins her battle over virus as the last Kiwi to fall ill recovers - meaning nation has ZERO active cases
- New Zealand has completely eliminated coronavirus from within its borders
- A woman in her 50s recovered in St Margaret's Hospital Auckland on Monday
- The country had been battling the COVID-19 pandemic since February 28
- NZ had 1,154 cases of COVID-19 but has had no new cases in the last 17 days
- A 'trans-Tasman travel bubble' between Australia and NZ will begin on July 1
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
New Zealand has completely eliminated coronavirus three months after shutting its borders and imposing radical lockdown measures.
On Monday, health authorities reported the recovery of the country's last confirmed case, as well as no new cases for the 17th straight day.
The final patient, a woman in her 50s, recorded no symptoms for 48 hours, before being announced as recovered at St Margaret's Hospital and Rest Home in Auckland on Monday.
The milestone comes ahead of an announcement by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at 3pm on Monday, when she is expected to do away with all COVID-related societal restrictions.
It is also a significant step on the road to elimination of the virus, which should be confirmed next week.
NZ Prime Minitster Jacinda Ardern smiles after an art gallery reopened. New Zealand has completely eliminated coronavirus from within its borders after the final patient with the disease recovered in Auckland on Monday
NZ Director general of health Ashley Bloomfield said the woman's recovery was something 'the rest of New Zealand can take heart in'.
'Having no active cases for the first time since February 28 is certainly a significant mark in our journey but as we've previously said, ongoing vigilance against COVID-19 will continue to be essential,' Dr Bloomfield said.
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The woman's recovery means that the St Margaret's cluster has now closed, as have seven other clusters across the country.
NZ has had 1,154 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since recording its first infected person on February 28.
As of Monday, almost 300,000 tests have been carried out in New Zealand, where 1504 have contracted the virus and 22 have died.
The woman recovered at at St Margaret's Hospital and Rest Home (pictured) in Auckland, where there was previously a cluster of COVID-19 cases
A summary of NZ's battle with COVID-19
On March 23, when cases numbered 100 for the first time, Ms Ardern imposed a strict lockdown which would tally 51 days.
That lockdown kept Kiwis inside their houses, except for trips for health reasons or the supermarket.
Unlike Australia, which did not enact such tough restrictions and still has over 400 active cases, New Zealand is now on the brink of elimination.
Elimination, according to the Ministry of Health's own definition, will take place on June 15 after New Zealand records a 28-day run without any cases spread through community transmission.
People eat at a restaurant in Auckland. The country is currently in 'alert level two', meaning that all businesses, schools, universities and social gathering of up to 100 people are permitted
A nurse dons PPE while testing a person for COVID-19 at a drive through testing centre. NZ tested 800 people for COVID-19 on Sunday
Public health authorities have urged against commemorating that day to avoid complacency.
'Having no active cases for the first time since February 28 is certainly a significant mark in our journey but as we've previously said, ongoing vigilance against COVID-19 will continue to be essential,' Dr Bloomfield said.
Michael Baker, Professor of Public Health at the University of Otago, said this signalled an end to 'only the first battle in what will be a long-term war against this virus'.
'This risk will rise again in New Zealand as we gradually increase the numbers of incoming travellers. It will also rise during the coming winter when coronaviruses are more transmissible,' he warned.
New Zealand's crushing of the virus has shifted debate firmly towards the nature of the restrictions, including social distancing, gathering size caps, and limits on the operations of some businesses, particularly in tourism and hospitality.
Ms Ardern has been urged to shed her health-first mantra by many in business and the opposition.
Canberra Airport chief executive Stephen Byron said Canberra Airport (left) and Wellington Airport (right) are the safest places in Australia and NZ to resume international travel
The news of no new cases is also a boon to the 'trans-Tasman travel bubble' between NZ and Australia, which will begin its first flights next month.
The first international flights since March are set to go between Canberra and Wellington Airports on July 1 and July 2.
Only politicians, business people and journalists will board the first return flight, but the route is expected to open up to the public once more are scheduled.
Australians interested in flying to NZ next month can register their interest on the Canberra Airport website from Thursday.
'It's time to reboot your 2020 travel plans,' the airport website currently reads.
The Canberra-Wellington route will be tested for a few weeks before flights are extend to other Australian and New Zealand cities such as Sydney and Auckland.
An Air New Zealand flight lands in Wellington. A survey of Australian travellers revealed that the number of people wanting to visit NZ have at least doubled
The ACT has gone one month with no new cases of COVID-19 while New Zealand has gone 17 days without a case.
Canberra Airport chief executive Stephen Byron said the Australian and NZ capitals are the safest cities to resume international travel.
'This would be the opening of the bubble,' Mr Byron told ABC Radio Canberra.
'All of the staff at the airport and all of the services in the international terminal... won't have seen any other international passengers for at least three weeks by the time this flight arrives.'
Currently, international arrivals in both Australia and NZ are required to self-isolate for 14 days at home or in a hotel.
But Mr Byron said this would be scrapped for Australians and Kiwis travelling between the two countries as part of the travel bubble.
