Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern new zealand
© Xinhua/Guo Lei via Global Look PressPrime Minister Jacinda Ardern imposed New Zealand's first lockdown in March.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has declared that the country "beat the virus again" after a second Covid-19 wave was contained.

The country eradicated the virus in late May after Ms Ardern implemented a strict national lockdown, with New Zealanders subsequently enjoying 102 days without community transmission.

However, a new cluster emerged in Auckland in August which forced the city with a population of 1.5 million into lockdown for three weeks.

Ms Ardern has announced that with no new confirmed cases in the city for 12 days that restrictions will be eased.

From Wednesday Auckland will join the rest of the country to a level one, which is the lowest rating on the New Zealand government's four-tier virus alert system.

The Prime Minister congratulated residents for enduring the second lockdown.

"It felt longer and dragged on in what was already starting to feel like a very long year." she said.

"But despite this, Aucklanders and New Zealanders stuck to the plan that has worked twice now, and beat the virus again."