Kiwis free of coronavirus

WELLINGTON (AP):

NEW ZEALAND appears to have completely eradicated the coronavirus – at least for now – after health officials said on Monday that the last known infected person had recovered.

The announcement was greeted with joy around the country and means that the nation of five million people will be among the first to welcome throngs of fans back into sports stadiums, embrace crowded concerts, and remove seating restrictions from flights.

It has been 17 days since the last new case was reported, during which time an additional 40,000 people have been tested, bringing the total number tested to about 300,000. Monday marked the first time since late February that there have been no active cases.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was confident that New Zealand had halted the spread of the virus but that t still must be prepared for more.