New Zealand

WELLINGTON, Jul 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand recorded 11,548 new community cases of COVID-19 and 19 more deaths from the pandemic, the Ministry of Health said today.

In addition, 311 COVID-19 cases have recently travelled overseas.

Currently, 710 COVID-19 patients are being treated in hospitals, including 17 in intensive care units or high dependency units.

New Zealand reported 1,441,186 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic hit the country in early 2020.

The ministry also reported a second confirmed case of monkeypox.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand’s government has declared that American far-right groups the Proud Boys and The Base are terrorist organizations.

The two groups join 18 others including the Islamic State group that have been given an official terrorist designation, making it illegal in New Zealand to fund, recruit or participate in the groups, and obligating authorities to take action against them.

WELLINGTON, June 27 (Reuters) - The foreign minister of Tuvalu pulled out of the United Nations Ocean Conference opening in Portugal on Monday after China blocked the participation of three Taiwanese included in the tiny Pacific island nation's delegation list, according to Radio New Zealand.

Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, is not a member of the United Nations and its citizens are unable to attend U.N. events as representatives of Taiwan.

WELLINGTON, Jun 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand reported 4,404 community cases of COVID-19 today, said the Ministry of Health in a statement.

The Ministry reported 4,404 community cases, 356 current hospitalisations, and 11 deaths from COVID-19 today.

Of the 4,404 community cases of COVID-19, 1,318 cases were from the largest city Auckland.

In addition, there were 50 new cases of COVID-19 reported at the New Zealand border today, according to the ministry.

New Zealand reported 1,263,333 confirmed cases, since the beginning of the pandemic.

WELLINGTON, May 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, is leading a trade mission to the U.S. this week, as part of the government’s reconnection strategy to support export growth and the return of tourists in the post-COVID-19 era.

The business delegation will promote trade and tourism opportunities in New Zealand’s third largest export and visitor market, according to an official statement today.

Ardern will also deliver a commencement address at Harvard University, during her visit this week.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — At Lautoka harbor in the heart of Fiji’s sugar cane region, five U.S. federal agents boarded the Russian-owned Amadea, a luxurious superyacht the length of a football field.

“They want to take 20 crew and sail east!” the ship’s captain wrote in a frantic May 5 WhatsApp message to lawyer Feizal Haniff, who represents the company that legally owns the superyacht.

“When?” Haniff wrote back, court documents obtained by The Associated Press show. “Please hold. Please hold. Can you hold. I need a judge. I am dialing everyone.”

WELLINGTON, May 18 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand recorded 32 more deaths and 9,570 new community cases of COVID-19, the Ministry of Health said today.

The ministry said in a statement that, the total number of publicly reported deaths with COVID-19 in New Zealand is 1,017.

Among the new community infections, 3,297 were reported in the largest city, Auckland, the ministry said.

In addition, 91 new cases of COVID-19 were detected at the New Zealand border.

May 14 (Reuters) - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tested positive for COVID-19 with moderate symptoms, her office said in a statement on Saturday.

She will not be in parliament for the government's emissions reduction plan on Monday and the budget on Thursday, but "travel arrangements for her trade mission to the United States are unaffected at this stage," the statement said.

Ardern had been symptomatic since Friday evening, returning a weak positive at night and a clear positive on Saturday morning on a rapid antigen test, it said.

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand will reopen its borders to tourists from all countries by July, allow back cruise ships and make it easier for skilled workers to immigrate as it looks outward to the world again following the COVID-19 pandemic, the government said Wednesday.

New Zealand imposed some of the world’s strictest border controls when COVID-19 first hit more than two years ago. That allowed the nation of 5 million to eliminate several virus outbreaks and get vaccination rates up before the omicron variant swept through this year.