- New Zealand is shrinking to contain its first coronavirus outbreak in more than three months.
- The country praised for its response to pandemic recorded on Thursday 13 new community infections.
- Auckland, where the first four new community cases were included, has been placed under a strict lockdown, and social distancing measures have been introduced across the rest of the country.
- New Zealand previously registered zero new COVID-19 cases for 100 consecutive days.
- Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said: “Once again we are reminded of how difficult this virus is and how easily it can spread. Going hard and early is still the best course of action.”
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New Zealand race to contain its first coronavirus outbreak in more than three months after 13 community infections were recorded on Thursday.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern was widely praised for her response to the coronavirus pandemic, which saw the government in Wellington pursue an aggressive elimination strategy, meaning the country has not had any new community affairs in more than 100 days in the last week had recorded.
But health officials discovered previously infected family members in the city of Auckland earlier this week, prompting the government to shut down the city and introduce strict social distance measures for the rest of the country.
Officials on Thursday registered 13 new community cases, including one case from abroad, bringing the total number of active cases in New Zealand to 36, according to Reuters.
“Once again, we are reminded of how difficult this virus is and how easily it can spread,” Ardern said during a televised press conference on Thursday. “Going hard and early is still the best course of action.”
Ardern warned that case numbers are likely to increase further, but said it was a positive sign that all current cases so far have been linked to one family.
Level 3 restrictions were reintroduced in Auckland on Wednesday and will remain in place through midnight on Friday. Non-essential businesses in New Zealand’s most populous city are temporarily closed next to schools and childcare facilities. Crowds of more than 10 people are banned and residents, who are encouraged to work from home, will only be allowed to go for “essential movements”, such as going to the shops.
The rest of New Zealand will comply with Level 2 restrictions. Meetings should be limited to 100 people, and public locations, including swimming pools and museums, can keep their doors open as long as they keep records of visitors and maintain social distance.
“I know this information will be very difficult to receive. We were all hoping not to find ourselves in this position again. But we were also prepared for it. And as a team we have been here before,” Ardern said earlier this week. .
