New Zealand's first Covid cases in 24 days came from UK

New Zealand has confirmed two new cases of coronavirus, ending a 24-day
streak of no new infections in the country.
Both women, who are from the same family, had travelled from the UK and were given
special permission to attend the funeral of a parent.
Last week New Zealand lifted all domestic restrictions, declaring that the country was
virus-free.However, strict border restrictions remained in place - with only citizens and
essential workers allowed in.
But exemptions can be granted and Dr Ashley Bloomfield, New Zealand's director-
general of health, said there was an "agreed plan in place as part of the approval
process [including] the travel arrangements".
It's not known if the patients are citizens of the UK, New Zealand, or elsewhere.
The women - one in their 30s and one in their 40s - arrived in New Zealand from the UK
on the 7 June, via Doha and Brisbane, and entered quarantine.
They stayed in a managed isolation hotel in Auckland and on 12 June applied for an
exemption to visit their dying parent - who died later that night.
They were granted permission to travel to Wellington on 13 June.
One of the women had "mild symptoms", but put this down to a pre-existing condition.
They travelled to Wellington in a private vehicle and did not use any public facilities
during this journey, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, director-general of health, said on Tuesday,
They stayed with a single family member in Wellington. That family member has now
been placed in self-isolation.
The women were tested on Monday and the results were confirmed on Tuesday.
Dr Bloomfield added that going forward, he asked for "anyone being released for
compassionate exemption [to be] tested and [have] a negative result" before they are
released.
Since 8 June, all arrivals in New Zealand are tested for Covid-19 and have to go
through a 14-day period of isolation or quarantine.
Late last Monday, New Zealand moved into the lowest tier of its four-tier alert system -
making it one of the few countries in the world to return to pre-pandemic normality.
Under this, social distancing is not required and there are no limits on public gatherings.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern celebrated the move but warned the country would
"certainly see cases again", adding that "elimination is not a point in time, it is a
sustained effort".
New Zealand has been lauded at a success story for its handling of the virus - it was
quick to close its borders and implement a strict nationwide lockdown.
The newest cases bring New Zealand's total number of cases since the outbreak began
to 1,506. The death toll remains unchanged at 22.
 Coronavirus: US withdraws emergency use of
hydroxychloroquine

Emergency use of the anti-malaria drug hydroxychloroquine as a treatment for

coronavirus has been withdrawn by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FDA said that new evidence from clinical trials meant that it was no longer
reasonable to believe that the drug would produce an antiviral effect. President Donald
Trump later defended promoting the use of hydroxychloroquine as a treatment of Covid-
19. In March, the FDA granted the emergency use of the drug for some serious cases.
But on Monday, the agency said clinical studies had suggested that hydroxychloroquine
was ineffective in treating the deadly virus and failed to prevent infection among those
exposed to it.

Responding to the FDA's decision, Mr. Trump said that he had previously taken the
drug preventatively with no side effects. “I took it and I felt good about taking it," he told
reporters on Monday, adding: "I can't complain about it, I took it for two weeks, and I'm
here, here we are. “The 74-year-old president said that many people had told him it had
saved their lives.

In May, Mr. Trump revealed that he was taking the drug after some people in the White
House tested positive for coronavirus. His comments about hydroxychloroquine became
the subject of widespread speculation online and controversy within the scientific
community about the potential benefits and harmful effects of the drug - along with the
related drug, chloroquine. Trials around the world were temporarily derailed when a
study published in The Lancet claimed the drug increased fatalities and heart problems
in some patients. The results prompted the World Health Organization (WHO) and
others to halt trials over safety concerns. However, The Lancet subsequently retracted
the study when it was found to have serious shortcomings and the WHO has resumed
its trials.