WELLINGTON, March 16 ― New Zealand police lifted a lockdown at a hospital in the Hawke's Bay area today after checking out a reported security scare and establishing that there was no threat.

"Following extensive enquiries at the hospital and in the surrounding areas, it has been determined there is no threat to hospital staff or the public,” police said in a statement.

New Zealand is on high security alert following the shooting at a mosque in Christchurch yesterday in which 49 people were killed and dozens of others were wounded. ― Reuters