WELLINGTON, June 17 (Xinhua) -- Following a further public health assessment of the COVID-19 outbreak in greater Melbourne, New Zealand's quarantine-free travel pause with Australia's Victoria state will lift next Tuesday, COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said on Thursday.
It has been determined that the risk to public health in New Zealand continues to decrease and, at this time, public health officials consider it unlikely there is further widespread community transmission in the Australian state, Hipkins said in a statement.
"However, in line with our precautionary approach we consider this short extension to be prudent," Hipkins said, referring to the extension of the pause till next Tuesday.
New Zealand health officials will keep a close watch on developments in the Australian state but at this point their advice is that the government would expect to be in a position to lift the pause at the end of the five-day extension. This will be reviewed if the situation changes, he said.
Australia's second largest city and capital of the Victoria state Melbourne is expected to further ease COVID-19 restrictions from midnight Thursday. On Wednesday, the local health authorities reported five new locally acquired cases in the 24 hours up to midnight Tuesday, bringing the number of active cases to 55. Enditem