By The South Asia Times

New Zealand on Thursday reported nearly 1,600 COVID-19 cases, for the first time since pandemic outbreak in the country in 2020, according to official statistics.
The new cases in the country spike since last month when the first case of omicron variant detected in New Zealand on Jan. 22.
During past 24 hours, the country registered 1,588 new infections, breaking the previous 1,160 record of Wednesday.
So far, New Zealand reported 25,050 cases with 53 deaths in last two years, according to the Health Ministry data.
The health authorities urged the public to follow the coronavirus SOPs and maintain social distancing.
‘It’s still important to keep up with the basic healthcare prevention measures – stay home if you’re sick, get a booster if it’s been three months since your second shot, wash your hands, wear your mask, scan in and maintain social distancing where possible,’ said Dr Ashley Bloomfield, Director-General of Health, in a statement.
‘So if you have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms you should still contact your health provider to get a PCR test, and if you don’t have symptoms then you don’t need to get a test," Bloomfield added.
So far over 4 million or 96% of aged 12 and above people in the country have received the first dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 95% have had fully vaccinated.
New Zealand was among the first few countries that banned entry to all non-residents in March 2020, in an attempt to limit the spread of coronavirus.
However, now the government has announced to ease border restrictions in phases starting this month.
In the first stage, vaccinated New Zealand nationals and eligible people from Australia will be allowed in from Feb. 27, while eligible individuals from other countries can enter from March 13, Chris Hipkins, New Zealand’s COVID-19 response minister announced on Feb. 3.

- Protest outside parliament continues
Meanwhile hundreds people who are protesting against the mandatory COVID-19 vaccination and restrictions still continue in the capital Wellington.
The protestors camped outside the parliament building demanding to end the restrictions as they argue that compulsory vaccination orders violate their basic rights and want the government to withdraw all COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.
However, the Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and other political parties leaders in the parliament have refused to meet the protesters and condemned their actions.
"We note that there is a history of Parliamentarians attending peaceful protests or hearing from the leaders of groups who are at Parliament peacefully, state-run Radio New Zealand quoted the speaker of parliament Trevor Mallard as saying after chaired a Parliamentary Service Commission meeting on Thursday.
The commission meeting, which attended by all parties leaders in the parliament, have decided that all politicians will not meet with protestors who blocked the road outside the parliament from last 10 days.
Meanwhile, the New Zealand police said that they are monitoring the situation and engage with protestors to de-escalate the situation.
"Police recognizes the ongoing significant impacts of the protest on residents and users of the central city, and acknowledges the patience of all concerned while we work to a peaceful de-escalation and resolution," said the police