New Zealand

WELLINGTON, May 13 (NNN-AGENCIES) — New Zealand reported no more COVID-19 cases for two consecutive days on Wednesday, with the total number of confirmed and probable cases remaining at 1,497, as the country is about to relax lockdown restrictions midnight.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told a press conference the death toll remained at 21 in the country, and 1,042 cases have recovered from the virus.

Two people are receiving hospital treatment, but neither is in ICU, Bloomfield said.

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand’s foreign minister on Tuesday said the country has to stand up for itself after China warned its backing of Taiwan’s participation at the World Health Organization (WHO) could damage bilateral ties.

Taiwan, with the strong support of the United States, has stepped up its lobbying to be allowed to take part as an observer at next week’s World Health Assembly (WHA), the WHO’s decision-making body - a move which has angered China.

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand will unleash billions of stimulus dollars at its annual budget this week to cushion the economic blow from the coronavirus pandemic, leaving it with ballooning debt and a dismal fiscal position that will take years to fix.

Spending on infrastructure, healthcare projects, state housing and more subsidies for low income workers and cash-strapped businesses are on the cards in the annual budget to be unveiled on Thursday.

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand businesses including malls, cinemas, cafes and gyms will be allowed to reopen from Thursday as tight restrictions put in place to stop the spread of the coronavirus were further eased on Monday.

The Pacific nation was locked down for more than month under “level 4” restrictions that were eased by a notch late last month. It has continued to enforce strict social measures on many of its citizens and businesses, helping prevent widespread community spread of the virus.

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand on Friday weighed in on the debate around whether Taiwan should be allowed to join the World Health Organisation (WHO) saying the country has a lot to offer given its success in limiting the spread of the coronavirus.

“Taiwan has something to offer at the WHO right at the moment,” Finance Minister Grant Robertson said at a news conference when asked if New Zealand would support Taiwan’s inclusion in WHO as an observer.

Robertson was addressing a daily media briefing on the country’s fight against the coronavirus.

WELLINGTON, May 4 (Xinhua) -- New Zealander Wendell Cook began his work from home as usual on Monday in Wellington, a new normal for him since the country started the battle against the COVID-19 in late March.

The country moved from alert level 4 to 3 last Tuesday and will stay for at least two weeks at Level 3 before a further review and alert level decision on May 11.

For the first time in 49 days, New Zealand reported no new COVID-19 case over the past 24 hours on Monday, with the total number of infections staying at 1,487, and the death toll 20.

WELLINGTON, May 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand reported no new COVID-19 case over the past 24 hours, the first time in 49 days, with the total number of infections staying at 1,487, the Ministry of Health said today (Monday).

Director-General of Health, Ashley Bloomfield, told a press conference that, one probable case has been reclassified as confirmed, so the total case number remained unchanged.

The death toll stood at 20, Bloomfield said, adding, 1,276 cases have now recovered, and currently four people are in hospital, with none in ICU.

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern asked citizens to stay the course on social restrictions still in place to contain the coronavirus, and said no decision had been taken yet on whether the measures would be further eased.

New Zealand on Monday reported no new cases of COVID-19 for the first time since March 16.

27 April 2020; AFP: Survivors of last year's New Zealand volcano eruption are planning to sue cruise ship company Royal Caribbean for failing to warn of the risks involved in touring the area, lawyers said Monday.

There were 47 people, mainly Australian tourists, on White Island when it erupted on December 9 last year, killing 21 people.

Many were carried off with horrific injuries, including extensive external and internal burns from the explosion that sent steam, ash and gases hurtling from the caldera.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — While most countries are working on ways to contain the coronavirus, New Zealand has set itself a much more ambitious goal: eliminating it altogether.

And experts believe the country could pull it off.

The virus “doesn’t have superpowers,” said Helen Petousis-Harris, a vaccine expert at the University of Auckland. “Once transmission is stopped, it’s gone.”