No new cases in South Korea or Hong Kong

After months of imposing social distancing, a few governments are now reporting remarkable milestones: recording zero new domestically transmitted coronavirus cases, or no new cases at all.

South Korea on Thursday reported that for the first time since the virus’s Feb. 29 peak, it had no new domestic cases and just four cases among people who came in from outside the country.

Also on Thursday, Hong Kong reported that there had been no new cases there for five straight days. That was a welcome turnaround after a spike in cases in late March from international travelers.

They are not the only ones on that path — Australia and New Zealand are close. Beijing’s major tourist sites are set to reopen just in time for China’s extended holiday weekend.