|
 Australian Acting Chief Medical Officer Michael Kidd said the travel
pause on green zone flights from New Zealand to Australia was
extended until Sunday.
"This allows continuing protection of the people of Australia, while
the extent of the situation in New Zealand continues to be
clarified," Kidd told a news conference.
Australia suspended a one-way "travel bubble" with its trans-Tasman
neighbour for 72 hours earlier this week after New Zealand confirmed
its first case in months on Monday.
Since then, two people have tested positive to the South African
variant of the coronavirus, and all cases are linked to the same
quarantine facility in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city.
The new infections come as New Zealand was ranked the best
performing in an index of almost 100 countries based on their
containment of the coronavirus.
Responding to the news, a New Zealand government spokeswoman said
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern "retained confidence in our systems
and processes but acknowledged the decision was for the Australian
government to make."
Under the bubble, travellers were able to arrive in Australia from
New Zealand without the need to quarantine though movement in the
other direction requires 14 days' quarantine.
[to top of second column] |
 Health authorities on Thursday
conducted further tests and began contact
tracing efforts on the two new cases in
Auckland. Both cases were
returned travellers in hotel quarantine who were released after
returning negative tests following their 14-day isolation.
They had stayed at the same hotel at the same time as the first case
of coronavirus in the country in over two months that was confirmed
on Monday.
New Zealand also said it would tighten rules at quarantine
facilities and people will not be able to leave their rooms
following their day 12 COVID test, until they depart from the
facility.
The country has largely avoided the high numbers of infections and
deaths from the virus as seen in many other nations.
The total number of active cases in New Zealand is 69. The country
has had a total of 1,943 confirmed cases and 25 deaths so far.
(Reporting by Praveen Menon, Swati Pandey and Melanie Burton;
Editing by Sam Holmes)
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