Halfway into New Zealand's four-week lockdown and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is cautiously optimistic her country has turned the corner in the fight against COVID-19.
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On Wednesday, New Zealand recorded 50 new cases, the lowest increase during the lockdown.
Significantly, the 50 cases result came from 4098 tests - New Zealand's biggest day of testing yet - which means a vastly declining positivity rate and the best sign yet that control of coronavirus is within New Zealand's grasp.
"We may yet see bumps along the way but ... I remain cautiously optimistic that we are starting to turn a corner," Ms Ardern said.
New Zealand's lockdown has been of a magnitude higher than Australia's, particularly as it relates to business.
Ms Ardern's government is beginning to relax those restrictions on trading but has ruled out an early exit to the lockdown, which is due to conclude when Kiwis wake up on Thursday April 23.
"It's all the more reason to stay the course of our self-isolation as a nation," she said, warning against complacency as infections drop.
Of particular concern is the Easter weekend, when many Kiwis may congregate for religious services, or flee their cities for their holiday homes on the coast or in the hills.
"The message here is really simple. Alert-level four lockdown remains in place and there is absolutely no change to the rules," Ms Ardern said.
"That means churches and other places of worship will remain closed over Easter weekend.
"I know that will be an enormous disappointment to many people of faith but I ask religious leaders to ensure there are not congregations coming together."
The government will now turn towards a major decision - whether to relax the lockdown as planned in a fortnight, or extend it.
Ms Ardern says she won't make a decision on that until the final days, with the benefit of extra information around the cases coming in.
It is likely that some towns or regions will be released from lockdown if no cases are found on their doorstep, returning New Zealand to a much-missed level of normalcy.
The prime minister - who has moved her family to Wellington during the lockdown - also revealed the one thing she was missing most during the lockdown.
"I miss people," she said.
"I'm used to having a lot of contact with the public and I miss people."
Australian Associated Press
