26 April 2024,   10:04
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New Zealand confirms first case of coronavirus

New Zealand confirmed its first case of the new coronavirus in someone who returned from Iran, but said the chances of a community outbreak remains low.


The patient - in their 60s - tested positive for COVID-19 earlier in the day. The person is being treated in Auckland City Hospital and their condition is improving, a Health Ministry statement said.


Public health officials have begun tracing the patient’s contact history and will test the individual"s family members for the virus.


The person traveled on an Emirates Airline flight that originated in Tehran, stopped in Bali, Indonesia, and ended in Auckland on Feb 26.


New Zealand said earlier in the day it was imposing temporary restrictions on visitors from Iran, where the death toll from COVID-19 had risen to 26, by far the highest number outside China.

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