New Zealand’s Covid-19 outbreak has worsened, with 82 new cases taking the total number of infected to 415.
All of Saturday’s cases were in Auckland, with the Pacific community again representing 62 cases.
New Zealand has entered its 11th day of a strict lockdown designed to contain the spread of the virus. Most of the recent cases are coming from household contacts and not from gatherings or essential workplaces. However, New Zealand’s fight to eliminate the highly contagious Delta variant appears delicately prepared.
NZ’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, had previously advised she expected cases to peak after eight to 10 days, and said on Friday that the government did not expect a further “major jump” in cases.
New Zealand has extended its nationwide lockdown until Tuesday. Ardern said his cabinet would decide on Monday the lockdown setting in Auckland and the neighboring Northland region, but said it was likely that Auckland would remain in Level 4 – the highest setting – for another two weeks.
Saturday’s total of 82 – up from 70 on Friday – is New Zealand’s fifth worst day for cases during the entire coronavirus pandemic.
on August 17, Government put the country in complete lockdown After only one community case was detected in the city of Auckland.
New Zealand has reported 26 deaths from the virus in a population of 5 million since the pandemic began.
New Zealanders lived virus-free for six months, leading to the latest outbreak, with no need to wear masks in workplaces, shops and sports stadiums while children went to school. Then a passenger returning from Sydney brought a Delta variant, which escaped from the Quarantine Hotel.
The outbreak has risen to nearly 350 known cases and is straining New Zealand’s contact-tracing system as workers try to track down another 30,000 people who may have been exposed.
The lockdown prevents most people from stepping out of the house except to exercise, or buy groceries or medicine. Retail stores are closed, as are restaurants – including takeaway – schools and most businesses.
New Zealand’s vaccine rollout has been the slowest of any developed country, with only 39% of people receiving at least one shot and 22% being fully vaccinated. The country chose to use only the Pfizer vaccine and did not approve its use until two months after US regulators first approved it for emergency use.
The government attributed the initial slowdown in the rollout to Pfizer’s delivery schedule.
Vaccination has increased rapidly since the outbreak began, with health workers now dosing about 2% of the population every day.