뉴질랜드, 세계 최초 코로나 환자 '0명'…주민 생활 정상화
New Zealand reports that it is now coronavirus-free zero active cases in the whole country for the first time since late February
Almost all COVID-19 restrictions in the country will be lifted from Tuesday.
Choi Jeong-yoon reports.
New Zealand announced Monday that it has halted the spread of COVID-19,... reporting no new cases of the coronavirus for 17 consecutive days.
With zero active cases, the country is scrapping its social distancing requirements effective Monday midnight.
That means schools and businesses will re-open, and there will be no restrictions on domestic travel, public gatherings or sporting events.
People will only be asked to keep track of where they’ve been... to help in contact tracing if future cases emerge.
Prime minister Jacinda Ardern attributed New Zealand's success to its strict border controls.
"The reason that New Zealanders, as of tomorrow, will be able to move around with freedom that very few other countries in the world have... is because we are maintaining those restrictions at the border."
New Zealand became the 48th country to confirm a case of COVID-19 on February 28th.
When it had just six cases, the government ordered anyone entering the country to self-quarantine for two weeks,...which at the time was among the toughest border restrictions in the world.
Then the country closed its borders to all foreigners.
When the number of cases had risen to a hundred, but still with no deaths, New Zealand shut down all non-essential businesses, events and gatherings, and closed its schools.
Two days later, the government raised the lockdown to level 4, the highest level, requiring people to stay home except for essential activities.
Despite a decline in cases, it tightened the border further, requiring even New Zealand citizens arriving in the country to spend their first two weeks quarantined not at home but at an approved facility.
New Zealand's borders remain shut to non-residents, and residents who do arrive still have to quarantine for two weeks.
But social distancing, while still encouraged, is no longer required.
Choi Jeong-yoon, Arirang News.
