Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 20 Sep 2020, 10:18 pm Print
Unsplash
Wellington/Xinhua: New Zealand's largest city Auckland will ease restrictions on gatherings at midnight Wednesday, moving down from COVID-19 Alert Level 2.5 to 2, with the rest of the country moving down from Alert Level 2 to Level 1 from midnight Monday.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement at a press conference on Monday while no new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the country on the day.
Auckland saw a second wave of COVID-19 community outbreak in August, with transmissions contained locally. Therefore, Auckland has maintained a higher alert level than the rest of New Zealand.
Auckland's level 2 means that gathering restrictions will increase from 10 to 100 people. At Alert Level 1, people need to be ready in case COVID-19 reappears. The new levels will be in place for 14 days before new decisions are made on Oct. 5.
The two deaths of COVID-19 are "a reminder of just how serious this virus is," Ardern said, referring to the two recent deaths of two brothers in Auckland.
She stressed the requirement of wearing masks on public transport including planes.
- Report suggests declines in global fertility rates set to transform global population pattern by 2100
- WHO says nearly 7000 avoidable deaths reported in Europe due to COVID-19 pandemic
- New study shows intermittent fasting may increase chances of death due to cardiovascular disease
- WHO study shows USD 39 return for each dollar invested in fight against TB
- Pakistan registers first polio case of 2024