New Zealand eliminates its last COVID-19 case

New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced the country will lift its coronavirus lockdown, allowing a return to nearly normal life for the country's five million people.

The decision came after health officials reported that the final person known to have contracted the infection had recovered, according to foreign media.

Ardern said the government would not let down its guard over the virus and promised to rebuild an economy that has slowed because of the global pandemic.

"We have eliminated the transmission of the virus for now. While the job is not done, this is a milestone," the prime minister said, adding that lifting of restrictions will be effective from midnight on Monday.

The country will remove all coronavirus-related curbs on shops, restaurants, and offices, and physical distancing will no longer be mandatory, although it will remain encouraged.

It has been 17 days since New Zealand reported the last new case, and Monday also marked the first time since late February that there have been no active cases.

The last coronavirus patient released was a woman from the city of Auckland.

Slightly more than 1,500 people contracted the virus in New Zealand, including 22 who died.