New Zealand expects Australia 'travel bubble' to stay open despite new virus case

Families are reunited as travellers arrive on the first flight from Sydney, in Wellington as Australia and New Zealand opened a trans-Tasman quarantine-free travel bubble.

New Zealand authorities reported on Tuesday that a worker in Auckland airport has tested positive for Covid-19, but doubted whether the new case would warrant ordering a pause in quarantine-free travel with Australia. Australia and New Zealand opened a travel bubble on Monday, after both countries had closed borders in March 2020 to non-citizens and permanent residents to contain the pandemic. ‘When we opened, on both sides, we of course knew we would continue to have cases connected to our border,’ New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. ‘We accept that's going to be part of our journey together, I think Australia accepts that.’ New Zealand's health authorities were liaising with their Australian counterparts, Ardern said, with no initial indication that the so-called 'travel bubble' would be halted.