WELLINGTON (Reuters) -New Zealand on Tuesday reported its first case of COVID-19 in the community in six months after a person tested positive in its largest city of Auckland.
The link between the case and the border or managed isolation is yet to be established, the Health Ministry said in a statement, adding the case is now being investigated.
The last reported community case of COVID-19 in New Zealand was in February.
The Auckland Regional Public Health unit is undertaking interviews with the case for contact tracing purposes, the statement said.
Anyone in Auckland catching public transport on Tuesday or who cannot socially distance in public spaces should wear a mask as a precaution, the ministry said.
“Ministers will meet this afternoon once additional information is gathered to confirm a response,” it added.
New Zealand has followed a go hard and early response that has helped it virtually eliminate COVID-19 domestically, allowing people to live without restrictions although its international border remains largely closed.
The country has reported about 2,500 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 26 related deaths.
(Reporting by Praveen Menon; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Stephen Coates)
