WELLINGTON: New Zealand has eliminated transmission of the novel coronavirus and will lift all containment measures except for border curbs, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday, making the South Pacific nation one of the first countries to do so.

The government will drop social distancing restrictions as it moves to a Level 1 national alert from Level 2, Ardern told a news conference.

Public and private events, the retail and hospitality industries and all public transport could resume without social distancing norms still in place across much of the world.

鈥淲hile we鈥檙e in a safer, stronger position there鈥檚 still no easy path back to pre-COVID life, but the determination and focus we have had on our health response will now be vested in our economic rebuild,鈥� Ardern said.

鈥淲hile the job is not done, there is no denying this is a milestone. So can I finish with a very simple 鈥楾hank you, New Zealand.鈥欌€�

The South Pacific nation of about 5 million people is emerging from the pandemic while big economies such as Brazil, Britain, India and the US grapple with the spreading virus.

鈥淲e are confident we have eliminated transmission of the virus in New Zealand for now, but elimination is not a point in time, it is a sustained effort,鈥� Ardern added.

There were no active cases for the first time since the virus arrived in New Zealand in late February, the Health Ministry said. New Zealand has reported 1,154 infections and 22 deaths from the disease.

鈥淗aving no active cases for the first time since Feb. 28 is certainly a significant mark in our journey, but as we鈥檝e previously said, ongoing vigilance against COVID-19 will continue to be essential,鈥� Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, the director-general of health, said in the statement.

New Zealand has vowed to eliminate, not just contain, the virus, but the ministry has been cautious about declaring victory.

It said elimination did not mean eradicating the virus permanently, but stopping 鈥渃hains of transmission鈥� for a period after the last infected person left isolation.

It also required New Zealand to 鈥渆ffectively prevent or contain any future imported cases from overseas,鈥� it added in an emailed statement.