There have been no new coronavirus cases recorded in New Zealand for a second consecutive day on Tuesday as the island nation is on track to achieve its bold goal of eliminating the virus. According to New Zealand's Director-General of Health Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, one case previously classified as probable has been changed to "not a case", lowering the country's tally of confirmed and probable cases by one to 1,486. Four people are currently hospitalized with none of them in intensive care unit. "Obviously, having zero new cases of COVID-19 to report for a second day in a row is very encouraging. All New Zealanders should feel pleased with their efforts. I certainly do," Dr. Bloomfield said. "We must stick to the plan. The worst thing we could do now is celebrate success early before the full-time whistle blows and jeopardize the gains we have made." Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said zero new cases for two consecutive days shows Kiwis are "demonstrating a level of commitment and discipline to our goal of winning the fight against coronavirus". She noted that New Zealanders are all "undeniably proud" of the achievement. But Ardern urged Kiwis to double down on their efforts to maintain the good run of numbers, warning them against complacency. One case at one gathering led to multiple clusters, she said, and the same can still happen again. "Stay home. Stay in your bubble. Maintain physical distancing and let's double down this week to maintain this good run of numbers," she said. "As we head towards the level 3 review next week, my message remains: don't do anything that snatches our potential victory at this point."
