New Zealand to lift all restrictions as it declares itself virus-free

New Zealand is set to lift almost all its coronavirus restrictions within hours as it reports there are no active cases in the country.
It will move to level one, the lowest of its four-tier alert system, at midnight local time (12:00 GMT).
Under this, social distancing will no longer be required and there will be no limits on public gatherings, but borders will remain closed.
New Zealand has reported no new Covid-19 cases for more than two weeks.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters she did "a little dance" when she was told the country no longer had any active virus cases.
"While we're in a safer, stronger position there's still no easy path back to pre-Covid life, but the determination and focus we have had on our health response will now be vested in our economic rebuild," she said.

Moderna, Merck cancer vaccine shows promise in late-stage trial; Moderna stock more than doubles
131019.08.2026, 21:45
US revokes more than 600 visas to dismantle global 'birth tourism' networks
385313.08.2026, 00:33
Sergey Khachatryan wins the 1st prize in the individual race (photo)
248512.08.2026, 23:18
WHO chief: US immunization changes ‘not aligned with decades of evidence’
363412.08.2026, 20:09
An Invasive Mosquito Is Spreading With Alarming Speed, Threatening Africa’s Cities
662405.08.2026, 22:05
Healthy diet too expensive for one in three people globally, UN report finds
1604222.07.2026, 00:52
Confirmed Ebola cases in Democratic Republic of Congo rise to 1,963
1612414.07.2026, 16:34
Martha Lillard, last known US polio survivor using iron lung, dies aged 78 (photo)
1629713.07.2026, 23:41