New Zealand ends nationwide state of emergency as moving to COVID-19 alert level 2
Moscow/Sputnik/UNI: The authorities of New Zealand have canceled the nationwide state of emergency, as the country is due to move from the COVID-19 alert level 3 to level 2 amid the decrease in the number of cases, Civil Defence Minister Peeni Henare said in a statement on Wednesday.
The state of emergency was declared in New Zealand on March 25. On Monday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced that the country would move from the alert level 3 to level 2 starting from Thursday, further relaxing coronavirus-related restrictions. Over the past day, New Zealand registered no new COVID-19 cases with the total tally stands at 1,147 with 21 related deaths.
"With fewer restrictions in place as we move to Alert Level 2 on Thursday, and the decrease in the numbers of COVID-19 cases, it is now the appropriate time to lift the State of National Emergency and move into a National Transition Period," Henare said in a statement.
COVID-19 alert level 2 in New Zealand envisages that retail stores, shopping malls, restaurants, cinemas, and other public places will reopen. According to the prime minister, schools and universities would start operating starting from May 18, and bars from May 21. At the same time, citizens should continue observing social distance. Travel within the country will be allowed, while the international borders would remain closed for foreign citizens.
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