New Zealand marks 100 days of virus elimination

Wellington, Aug 9 (AP) New Zealand on Sunday marked 100 days since it stamped out spre of coronavirus, a rare bright spot in a world that continues to be ravd by disease.

Life has returned to rmal for many people in South Pacific nation of 5 million, as y attend rugby games at packed stiums and sit down in bars and restaurants without fear of getting infected. But some worry country may be getting complacent and t preparing well eugh for any future outbreaks.

New Zealand got rid of virus by imposing a strict lockdown in late March when only about 100 people h tested positive for disease. That stopped its spre. For past three months, only new cases have been a handful of returning travelers who have been quarantined at border.

“It was good science and great political leership that me difference,” said professor Michael Baker, an epidemiologist at University of Otago. “If you look around globe at countries that have done well, it's usually that combination.” From early on, New Zealand pursued a bold strategy of eliminating virus rar than just suppressing its spre. Baker said or countries are increasingly looking to New Zealand for answers.

“ whole Western World has terribly mismand this threat, and y're realising this w,” Baker said.

He said many leers saw a false dichotomy between saving lives or saving ir ecomies, when in fact businesses thrive best when y have certainty about things like diseases.

Indeed, New Zealand's ecomy has fared better than many predicted. country has mand to keep its unemployment rate at just 4%, although many ecomists say number doesn't account for recent job losses and will likely get significantly worse after a government-funded w subsidy expires next month.

Prime Minster Jacinda Ardern's leership has been widely praised. She reassured people during lockdown with daily briefings and a mess that resonated: “Go hard and go early.” Total infections were limited to just over 1,500 and country has h just 22 deaths. Opinion polls indicate support for Ardern's liberal Labour Party has surged ahe of a general election next month.

Still, New Zealand's international tourism industry has collapsed and country remains more isolated from outside world than before. Ardern's government has been reluctant to reopen border to any or countries, even as or nations cautiously do so.

And experience of some or countries, including Vietnam and Australia, shows how easily virus can flare up again even when it looks like it's been brought under control.

Baker said New Zealand remains in a reactionary mode and is t doing eugh planning to keep virus out. He said country needs to create a national public health ncy and better fund scientists studying spre of disease.

But Sunday, at least, marked a milestone that many in New Zealand ted with a sense of thankfulness and relief. (AP) SCY SCY