New Zealand PM announces stringent measures to curb virus

New Zealand on Saturday announced stringent new border measures aimed at curbing the new coronavirus outbreak. Speaking in Auckland, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern explained "we must go hard and we must go early" in order to protect the health of New Zealanders.

As part of the measures, people entering the country, including New Zealanders, would be required to self-isolate for 14 days, and New Zealanders were told to avoid all non-essential travel overseas.

In addition, cruise industry companies have been told to stop their liners from sailing to New Zealand until late June.

Ardern said the measures were "far reaching and unprecedented... because these are unprecedented circumstances".