New Zealand eases lockdown

On Tuesday, New Zealand began to gradually emerge from its tight lockdown.

The country says it has stopped community transmission of Covid-19, effectively eliminating the virus.

Lowering its alert level from four to three means that some non-essential business, healthcare and schools were able to resume this morning.

Around 400,000 people headed back to work, some schools and childcare facilities are open, and people are allowed to get takeout food again.

New Zealand, partly thanks to its isolation and easily-closed borders, managed to contain the virus early on.

It has reported fewer than 1,500 confirmed or probable cases of coronavirus and 19 deaths have been linked to it.