New Zealand's demure Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, has become something of a local icon throughout the country's COVID-19 response - an honour he does not take lightly.
The public servant appears to have struck a chord with Kiwis as a friendly face and reliable source of information amid a period of great uncertainty, his likeness adorning numerous memes, hand towels and even a Te Papa artwork.
Following 18 consecutive days of no new cases, Tuesday marked Dr Bloomfield's last live COVID-19 update. When prompted by a reporter, the health official had a few final words to close out the conference.
"I just want to say - I've been doing my job. It's a great privilege to be doing it. We've got a whole health system that I work with many good people on, helping to ensure delivers for New Zealand [sic]. That's where our focus will stay," he said with a smile.
"Life goes on. We're not over this - a big part of our response is maintaining our ability to respond to the global COVID-19 pandemic. That's an ongoing effort."
A reporter jokingly asked where bereft Kiwis could go to get their daily Dr Bloomfield fix.
"Well they can go to Te Papa, I guess," he replied with a laugh, referencing a new eco-friendly piece of art - featuring himself and the Prime Minister at lecterns - for the gallery's COVID-19 collection.
The bespectacled health official attained nationwide popularity by fronting the daily COVID-19 media briefings. With his cool, calm and collected demeanour, Dr Bloomfield kept the public informed with the latest updates on New Zealand's outbreak and response, attracting international praise for his consistent professionalism.
On Monday, it was announced that New Zealand's last known active case - an Auckland woman - had recovered. Although it's not guaranteed that the country is completely COVID-free, the milestone - coupled with 18 days of no new cases - provided a strong indicator that New Zealand has successfully controlled the virus.
