New Zealand has eliminated the transmission of the novel coronavirus for now with no active cases of Covid-19, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday.

The country will lift all restrictions except for border curbs starting midnight Monday, Ardern further said as per a Reuters report.

The country has cleared its last active case of Covid-19. It is the first time since February 28th that the country has no active cases. Furthermore, it has not reported a new case of Covid-19 in 17 days.

“The Ministry has been notified by Auckland Regional Public Health that its remaining case has been symptom-free for 48 hours and is regarded as recovered. The person has now been released from isolation,” read an official statement.

“It is now 17 days since the last new case was reported in New Zealand,” it further said.

“Having no active cases for the first time since February 28 is certainly a significant mark in our journey but as we’ve previously said, ongoing vigilance against Covid-19 will continue to be essential," Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said in an official statement.

The country has eliminated the transmission of the novel coronavirus for now but authorities advise on remaining vigilant.

“We are confident we have eliminated the transmission of the virus in New Zealand for now, but elimination is not a point in time, it is a sustained effort,” Ardern said as quoted by the Reuters report.

“While the job is not done, there is no denying this is a milestone. So can I finish with a very simple ‘Thank you, New Zealand,’” she said.

The government has moved to a Level 1 national alert from Level 2 and will lift all containment measures excluding border restrictions.

New Zealand has reported a total of 1,154 confirmed cases (combined total of confirmed and probable cases is 1,504) with the toll at 22.

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