[ti:New Zealand Declares Itself Free from Coronavirus] [by:www.51voa.com] [00:00.00]更多听力请访问51VOA.COM [00:00.04]New Zealand has declared itself free from the coronavirus [00:05.08]and lifted all virus-related restrictions within the country. [00:12.08]Health officials said Monday the last known person [00:16.96]infected with coronavirus had recovered. [00:21.28]Border controls will remain in place [00:25.44]in an effort to prevent infected people [00:28.84]from bringing the virus into New Zealand. [00:33.44]All other restrictions will end, including social distancing [00:39.16]and limits on economic activity and public gatherings. [00:45.72]New Zealand's 75 days of restrictions [00:50.08]included about seven weeks of a strict lockdown [00:55.04]in which most businesses were shut [00:58.52]and everyone except necessary workers had to stay home. [01:04.68]The South Pacific nation, with a population of five million, [01:11.04]reported 1,500 cases of COVID-19, [01:17.08]the disease caused by the coronavirus. [01:22.04]Twenty-two people died. [01:25.60]Officials said it had been 17 days [01:29.36]since the last new coronavirus case was reported. [01:35.64]During this period, about 40,000 people were tested for the virus. [01:43.20]Overall, New Zealand tested about 300,000 people. [01:48.92]Monday marked the first time since late February [01:53.76]that there have been no active coronavirus cases. [01:58.88]Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern [02:02.44]told a news conference she was "confident" [02:06.28]that New Zealand had halted the spread of the virus for now. [02:12.36]She praised the people of New Zealand for uniting [02:16.92]"in unprecedented ways to crush the virus." [02:22.44]But she added that the country must be prepared [02:26.72]to deal with a possible return. [02:30.68]"We almost certainly will see cases here again," Ardern said. [02:36.84]"And that is not a sign that we have failed, it is a reality of this virus." [02:44.96]She said the most important thing is for the country to stay prepared. [02:51.52]More cases are likely to be imported as people enter the country. [02:58.32]For now, New Zealand's border generally remains closed to all [03:04.52]but citizens and residents. [03:08.36]Everyone who does enter is required to go into quarantine. [03:14.56]Experts say a number of things helped New Zealand [03:19.20]get control of COVID-19 while many other nations have struggled. [03:26.44]The country's faraway position in the South Pacific gave officials time [03:32.48]to see the serious effects the virus had in other countries. [03:39.08]Ardern also acted quickly to order a strict lockdown across the country. [03:46.60]Beating the virus will not quickly end [03:50.32]the economic pain New Zealand has suffered. [03:55.48]Thousands of people have lost their jobs. [03:59.32]The tourism industry, which makes up about 10 percent of the economy, [04:05.88]was particularly hard hit. [04:09.84]But for many, Monday was a day to celebrate. [04:15.56]Ardern said when she heard there were no more active cases, [04:20.36]she did a little dance in her living room [04:23.56]in front of her two-year-old daughter Neve. [04:27.12]Ardern said the child had no idea what was going on, [04:32.16]but was still happy to join in the dance. [04:36.64]I'm Bryan Lynn. 更多听力请访问51VOA.COM