NZ PM Jacinda Ardern Did 'Little Dance' As Country Records Zero COVID-19 Cases

WELLINGTON: In a positive news regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, New Zealand has no more active cases of the virus in the country for the first time since February 28. The 'Land of Kiwis' reported 1,154 infections and 22 deaths.

The Health Ministry in a statement on Monday said that the last person suffering from COVID-19 has been discharged from the hospital. The island nation has also not recorded any new cases over the last two weeks.

Meanwhile, New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that all coronavirus measures in the country will be lifted from Tuesday. This will not include lifting border closure restrictions.

She said at a press conference that public and private events, the retail and hospitality industries and all public transport could resume without social distancing norms which came into effect from Monday midnight. The country would move to a level 1 national alert from Level 2, she said.

“While the job is not done, there is no denying this is a milestone ... Thank you, New Zealand,” Ardern said at the press conference, according to an international news agency.

“We are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus in New Zealand for now, but elimination is not a point in time, it is a sustained effort," she added.

On a lighter note, 39-year-old Ardern, who is seen as a global leader for her handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, said after she was told there were no active COVID-19 cases she did a “little dance” which took her two-year-old daughter Neve by surprise.

“She was caught a little by surprise and she joined it having absolutely no idea why I was dancing around the lounge. She enjoyed it nevertheless,” Ardern said.