WELLINGTON – New Zealand today extends a national lockdown sparked by a Delta outbreak into next week, but warned restrictions will last longer in the infection epicentre of Auckland.
The Delta cluster emerged in Auckland last week, ending a six-month run without local transmission that had made New Zealand one of the world’s last Covid-19-free zones.
While there are 70 new cases reported today, taking the total to 347, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said there are signs the outbreak will soon peak if stay-at-home orders remain in place.
“We may be seeing the beginning of a plateau in cases,” she said.
“Our job is to keep up the hard work in order to bend, and then flatten, the (infection) curve.”
Ardern said a nationwide lockdown imposed on August 17 will now continue until August 31.
She said Auckland, where all but 14 cases have been found, and the neighbouring region of Northland, are set to face at least an extra two weeks of hard lockdown.
New Zealand is pursuing a “Covid zero” elimination strategy – which has resulted in just 26 deaths in a population of five million – using strict border controls backed by hard lockdowns when any cases do slip through.
Ardern said that from Wednesday, areas outside Auckland and Northland will move down a notch to level three on New Zealand’s four-tier virus alert system.
Most residents must still remain at home during level three, but some businesses such as restaurants and retail outlets can reopen using contactless collection methods.
Ardern said police checkpoints will be set up to ensure there is no travel between Auckland, Northland and the rest of the country. – AFP, August 27, 2021
