The upcoming wedding of New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has been called off due to new anti-coronavirus restrictions in the country.
Ardern called an unexpected press conference on Sunday, after the first cases of the Omicron variant were detected within the community. Until now, all cases of the variant had been detected at the country's border.
As a result, New Zealand will impose new restrictions to slow the spread of Covid-19, including more mask requirements and reduced gathering limits.
Ardern said she had to call off her wedding to fiancé Clarke Gayford, though she had not released any details of when or where it was due to take place.
"Such is life," she told reporters in response to a question about how she was feeling about the wedding not going ahead.
"I'm no different to, dare I say it, thousands of other New Zealanders who have had much more devastating impacts felt by the pandemic," she said.
"The most gutting of which is the inability to be with a loved one sometimes they are gravely ill. That will far, far outstrip any sadness I experience."
New Zealand, a country of about 5 million people, has detected about 15,000 cases of Covid-19 since the pandemic, with 52 deaths.
Source: DPA
