While Victorians can again resume travel to New Zealand, those in New South Wales will now be suspended from travel to New Zealand for 72 hours from 11.59pm tonight.

The latest ban on quarantine free travel is as a result of the current 21 cases of Covid reported in Sydney and will remain in play while the infection source is being investigated. The pause will be reviewed daily.

The precautionary approach was decided by New Zealand government this evening while acknowledging that the public health risk currently remained low in New Zealand.

“This decision follows a public health assessment today which determined that while the overall risk to public health in New Zealand currently remains low, there are still several unknowns, including a case that was infectious while in the Sydney community and a primary-school-age child with no clear link established at present,” said Covid Response Minister Chris Hipkins.

Victoria’s trans Tasman bubble was also closed in late May after recent Covid cases but will resume from midnight this evening. Travellers to New Zealand from Victoria will no longer be required to quarantine upon arrival nor have a Covid test before departure.

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