There are no active cases of COVID-19 left in the South Island, the latest Ministry of Health figures reveal.
New Zealand marked its sixth day in a row of no new cases on Thursday. Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield confirmed another 12 people had recovered from the virus, including the remaining two active cases in the South Island.
Overall, 1474 people have recovered from the virus and there are only eight active cases left in the country - five in Waitematā, two in Auckland, and one in Counties Manukau.
Dr Bloomfield also revealed another milestone - no-one with the virus is in hospital-level care.
He said, however, a second wave of COVID-19 will continue to be a possibility even months from now.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is reminding countries about the need to be careful when relaxing restrictions.
"What we are learning from all countries that are starting to initiate the lifting of these measures - they need to be done and a slow and a staggered way," said WHO COVID-19 technical lead Dr Maria Van Kerkhove.
"It needs to be done using a data-driven approach," she told a news briefing on Wednesday (NZ time).
In New Zealand on Wednesday, 4255 tests were processed, bringing the total to 271,690.
Dr Bloomfield urged everyone to "stay safe and well" for the upcoming Queen's Birthday weekend.
