'New Zealand days away from eliminating COVID-19'

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA (AA) – New Zealand may become the first country to successfully eliminate the novel coronavirus from its territory if no new case is detected in the next eight days, local media reported on Thursday.

According to news website Stuff, no COVID-19 case has been reported in the country for 20 consecutive days, with the last one confirmed by officials on May 22.

The report said New Zealand will officially be free of the virus if no cases are reported in the next week, as health officials say elimination is reached after 28 days – two incubation periods – of no new infections.

New Zealand, which has recorded a total of 1,504 cases, including 22 deaths and 1,482 recoveries, lifted all restrictions and started a normalization process last month.

Authorities have also officially closed nine of the 16 significant clusters identified, the report said.

- No case in Thailand

No new coronavirus case or fatality was reported in Thailand on Thursday.

The total number of cases remains at 3,125 and the death tolls is unchanged at 58, according to the country’s Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration.

Recoveries increased by six to 2,987 – 96% of all cases – and 80 patients remain in hospital, it said.

Largely satisfied with the public’s response to safety measures, the government is considering lifting the night curfew from Friday and allowing most businesses to reopen.

However, entertainment venues and wet massage parlors will remain closed, Bangkok Post reported.