New Zealand PM discusses travel with Australian leaders

New Zealand prime minister Jacinda Ardern and her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison discussed resuming travel links between the two countries during a virtual meeting on Tuesday.

Travel was halted during the early stages of the coronavirus outbreak.

Ardern said the aim was to create a "bubble", a safe-travel zone, where no quarantine was necessary.

But she accepted that much work was needed to make this a reality.

The talks came as New Zealand reported no new cases of the virus for a second straight day.

But the country's director-general of health, Ashley Bloomfield, urged people to remain vigilant.

"The worst thing we could do now is celebrate success early before the full-time whistle blows and jeopardize the gains we have made," he said.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks.

But the virus is highly contagious and can be spread by those with mild or no visible symptoms.

For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and could lead to death.