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New Zealand pauses travel bubble after Australian COVID outbreak

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/life/04/23/20210423-new-zealand-travelers-are-seen-as-quarantine-free-travel-australia-reuters.jpg"/><figcaption>New Zealand travelers are seen as quarantine-free travel between Australia and New Zealand begins, at Sydney International Airport, Australia, April 19, 2021. <em>Mick Tsikas, AAP Image/Reuters</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>New Zealand on Friday paused its newly opened travel bubble with Australia, the government in Wellington said, after a COVID-19 outbreak in its larger neighbor.</p><p>&quot;As set out in our Trans-Tasman bubble protocols, travel between New Zealand and Western Australia has been paused, pending further advice from the state government,&quot; a statement on the New Zealand government website said.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/04/16/21/australia-considers-staggered-reopening-of-borders">Australia considers staggered reopening of borders</a></li></ul><p>The decision came after Western Australia announced that the regions of Perth and Peel were entering a three-day lockdown, starting midnight Friday to Saturday, due to a traveler testing positive for the coronavirus.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/04/19/21/families-reunite-as-australia-new-zealand-travel-bubble-begins">Families reunite as Australia-New Zealand &#x27;travel bubble&#x27; begins</a></li></ul><p>The decision to lock down followed &quot;a positive COVID-19 case from hotel quarantine who was active in the community,&quot; a statement on the Western Australia government website said.</p><p>Local media reported that a man in his 50s flew into Melbourne from Perth on Wednesday and tested positive for the coronavirus earlier Friday.</p><p>Heunderwent the legally-required quarantine in a Perth hotel and had gone to restaurants, a university, a public pool, a doctor&#x27;s office and a friend&#x27;s house before leaving the area.</p><p>&quot;He spent up to five days in Perth, and we now need to assume he was infectious,&quot; Western Australia premier Mark McGowan told a press conference.</p><p>New Zealand and Australia had opened their quarantine-free travel bubble on April 18.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/03/07/21/nzs-auckland-emerges-from-lockdown-australia-starts-astrazeneca-vaccinations">NZ&#x27;s Auckland emerges from lockdown; Australia starts AstraZeneca vaccinations</a></li></ul><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1667297" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>The decision came after Western Australia announced that the regions of Perth and Peel were entering a 3-day lockdown, starting midnight Friday to Saturday.</p>

The decision came after Western Australia announced that the regions of Perth and Peel were entering a 3-day lockdown, starting midnight Friday to Saturday.