New Zealand cuts back on scientific research in Antarctica to keep it COVID-19 free

Antarctica New Zealand, an agency responsible for carrying out New Zealand government's research activities in Antarctica has decided to continue with only long-term science monitoring and essential operational activity in the region to limit the continent's exposure to COVID-19.  

READ: New Zealand Lifts All Domestic Coronavirus Restrictions

Limited people traveling people to Scott Base

The authorities have announced that the project will focus on supporting only long-term monitoring, essential operational activity and planned maintenance this season in Antarctica. The project will support monitoring programmes in the vicinity of Scott Base, essential maintenance and priority engineering projects and critical Scott Base Redevelopment tasks.

Antarctica New Zealand is developing a managed isolation plan with multiple government agencies to ensure COVID-19 doesn’t enter Antarctica. 

Scott Base is New Zealand's only Antarctic research station, perched on a low volcanic headland called Pram Point at the southern end of Ross Island. It is 3800km south of Christchurch and 1350km from the South Pole. 

READ: WHO: Pandemic Worsening Globally, Death Toll Rising

READ: Jacinda Ardern Being Hailed For Making New Zealand Coronavirus Free

'Crisis worsening'

Meanwhile, the head of the World Health Organization warned that the coronavirus pandemic is worsening globally, even as the situation in Europe is improving.

At a press briefing on Monday, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus noted that about 75% of cases reported to the U.N. health agency on Sunday came from 10 countries in the Americas and South Asia. He noted that more than 100,000 cases have been reported on nine of the past 10 days — and that the 136,000 cases reported Sunday was the biggest number so far.

READ: New Zealand Tackles 'period Poverty' By Providing Free Sanitary Products In Schools

(Image credits: twitter.com/AntarcticaNZ)