The Prime Minister of Jacinda Ardern stated on Saturday that all the people who are entering the nation from the midnight of Sunday should isolate for 14 days in an attempt to contain the spread of the new coronavirus or COVID-19.
People from small South Pacific island countries, which currently have no reported cases, will be exempted, Ardern said in a news conference. New Zealand has a large South Pacific islander population.
Cruise ships will also be told not to come to New Zealand
All cruise ships will also be told not to come to New Zealand until June 30, she said. Ardern said these were "far-reaching and unprecedented" measures to tackle a global pandemic. New Zealand has six confirmed cases and has not recorded any deaths.
The coronavirus outbreak has infected more than 125,000 people around the world and also claimed the lives of more than 4,500 people globally. The virus has spread to more than 110 countries in the world. The COVID-19 which has its origin in the city of Wuhan of Hubei province has been recently described as a pandemic by the WHO.
(With agency inputs)
