Coronavirus

The number of active cases is now 61, which is a slight drop since last week but well below the outbreak's peak last year.

The health authorities say there are no Covid-19 patients in the hospital.

The death toll of the pandemic is 649, with most fatalities registered during last year's outbreak with the Delta variant.

Vaccinations have continued and more than 81 percent of those 12 years and older have had two jabs.

The outbreak of 228 cases linked to the Heaven Supermarket Bar, which had just reopened as restrictions in Beijing eased last week, highlights how hard it will be for China to make a success of its "zero Covid" policy as much of the rest of the world opts to learn how to live with the virus.

The re-emergence of infections is also raising new concerns about the outlook for the world's second largest economy. China is only just shaking off a heavy blow from a long lockdown in Shanghai - its most populous city and commercial nerve centre - that also disrupted global supply chains.

He said these are the four pillars to protect the territory from further surges in the community from other viruses in the future.

Lieutenant Governor, Talauega Eleasalo Ale, marked Tuesday as day 106 since the first case of Covid was detected in the community.

In a statement, the Ministry of Health said there were eight deaths of people with Covid-19 reported and 371 people in hospital, including six in ICU.

The deaths include two people their 70s; three in their 80s and three aged over 90. Six were women and two were men.

Two were from the Auckland region; two from Hawke's Bay; one was from Taranaki, two were from Canterbury and one was from Nelson-Marlborough. The total number of deaths of people with Covid-19 in New Zealand is now 1229.

There were also 50 new cases identified at the border.

The BBC has pieced together information, through conversations with people who have managed to contact those living in North Korea, and by using publicly available resources.

Voices inside North Korea

Kim Hwang-sun was sitting alone in his kitchen in Seoul when his phone rang. It was a Chinese broker with the news he'd been waiting for. His family could talk.

It has been 10 years since Hwang-sun escaped North Korea alone. His two children, grandchildren and his 85-year-old mother are all still there, and he's given up hope of ever getting them out.

The number of active cases is now 50, a figure largely unchanged for weeks.

The health authorities say there are no Covid-19 patients left in hospital.

The death toll from the pandemic is 649, with most fatalities registered during last year's outbreak with the Delta variant.

One person died this month.

Vaccinations have continued and more than 81 percent of those 12 years and older have had two jabs.

Travel restrictions have been eased and most pre-pandemic air links have been resumed, with tourism showing a strong rebound.

Plans have also been introduced to support the city's economy, which has been hit hard by the restrictions.

The commercial centre has been under a strict lockdown for almost two months.

Meanwhile, China's capital Beijing has reopened parts of its public transport system as well as some shopping malls and other venues as infections ease.

The announcement in Shanghai came as official figures showed on Sunday that new daily coronavirus cases fell to 122 from 170 over the previous 24 hours.

The pair met for a joint media conference, held outdoors at the Botanical Garden, to announce a new partnership between the state and New Zealand, on climate change.

Governor Gavin Newsom tweeted about his positive result Saturday afternoon (US time).

"This AM, I tested positive for Covid-19 and am currently experiencing mild symptoms. Grateful to be vaccinated & for treatments like Paxlovid," he said.

Newsom said he was following health directives and would be working remotely while he isolates.

In its latest update, the Ministry said in a statement that 350 people with the virus were in hospital, including 10 in intensive care. This compared with 355 hospital cases and 12 in ICU yesterday.

One of the 25 new deaths reported today was a person aged in the 30s, with three people in their 40s. There were also four people in the 50s, two in their 60s, four in their 70s, six in their 80s and five aged over 90.

It comes as another 11 people have died with Covid-19 and another 8150 new community cases have been detected.

The subvariant was detected in the Hawke's Bay from a test returned on 10 May.

"This Omicron subvariant is prevalent in the USA and has been detected at our border for many weeks - there have been 29 imported cases reported since April, so its movement into the community is not unexpected," the ministry said.