New Zealand on Thursday reported its third confirmed coronavirus case this week, a development that has prompted the government to further restrict its quarantine rules for those entering the country after it had declared local transmission of the virus eradicated.
All three cases involve people who flew to New Zealand from elsewhere in the world, the latest coming from Pakistan. The man is in quarantine.
Authorities are working to trace those who may have come into contact with the man and two women who flew from Britain and tested positive after being permitted to leave their quarantine early to see an ill relative.
There are worries about rising case counts in other parts of the world.
India reported 12,881 new confirmed cases Thursday, the highest one-day increase it has seen during the pandemic. The country now has about 367,000 confirmed cases, trailing only the United States, Brazil and Russia.
US cases
More than a dozen U.S. states have reported their highest number of new cases in recent days, while deaths in the country continue their trend of declining.
Oklahoma, where President Donald Trump is set to hold a political rally Saturday in the city of Tulsa, Wednesday reported 259 new cases during the previous 24 hours.
“I know so many people are over COVID, but COVID is not over. COVID is here, it's transmitting very efficiently in our community,” Bruce Dart, Tulsa’s top health official, said Wednesday. “If you're in public, wear masks, social distance, pay close attention to handwashing and hygiene, and keep yourself safe and healthy."
Texas reported 3,100 new COVID-19 cases Wednesday, a new record for the state, while California surpassed 4,000 new confirmed cases in one day for the first time.
According to data from Johns Hopkins University, there were 840 new deaths from COVID-19. Wednesday marked the seventh consecutive day in which the U.S. death toll was under 1,000 people.
New York has been the state hardest hit by the coronavirus, but Governor Andrew Cuomo celebrated progress Wednesday, saying, "We have gone from the worst infection rate in the country, to the best infection rate in the country."
Cuomo said there were 17 deaths reported on Tuesday, prompting him to declare it was one of the state’s best days since the outbreak began.
