WELLINGTON, May 7 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins has made announcement to pause the quarantine-free travel from Australia's New South Wales state to New Zealand after more local cases found in Sydney.
While the source of infection of the cases announced in Sydney in the last two days is investigated, Health authorities in the Australian state of New South Wales have placed immediate restrictions on people in Sydney and surrounding regions following the detection of the two locally acquired cases.
The new rules, which came into place on Thursday afternoon and will continue until Monday morning.
However, the Australian side called New Zealand's decision to pause the travel bubble an "overreaction."
Whole genome sequencing has linked the case to a recent returnee who arrived in Australia from the United States. A household contact of the case has returned a positive test, according to a statement on Thursday.
An epidemiological link is yet to be determined between the case and the recent returnee, Hipkins said.
Officials have assessed that with several outstanding unknowns in the situation in Sydney, it is safest to pause quarantine free travel for any flights leaving New South Wales after 11:59 p.m. Thursday night. This will be under constant review, he said.
"The government is aware this will cause some disruption to travelers but strongly believes a cautious approach is the best course of action while investigations continue," the minister said. Enditem