New Zealand to ease coronavirus restrictions as it reports zero cases

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the coronavirus restrictions in its biggest city Auckland will be eased, while all restrictions will be lifted in the rest of the country.

Auckland will move to alert level 2 from Thursday, Ardern said at a news conference on Monday, which will limit gatherings to 100 people.

The rest of the country will move to level 1 from midnight on Monday, she said.

There were no new cases of Covid-19 reported in New Zealand on Monday, health officials said.

The country has recorded a total of 1,464 coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, with 25 deaths.

There are 62 active cases in New Zealand, 33 of them transmitted in the community and the remaining 29 diagnosed in managed isolation facilities for travellers returning to New Zealand.

Three people are in hospital.