NZ lockdown extended as cases spiral to new highs

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced an extension to the nation’s lockdown

The lockdown in Auckland will be extended by two weeks following a spike in COVID cases linked to the delta variant, with over 53 new cases reported Monday.

New Zealand has been largely virus-free for months, eradicating a small number of cases in February. But following an outbreak of the Delta variant imported from Australia, it prompted Prime Minister Ardern to order a snap nationwide lockdown on August 17.

Infections of the outbreak have reached now 562

Around 1.7 million Aucklanders will remain in strict level 4 lockdown for another two weeks, while restrictions for the remainder of the country will be eased slightly to a level 3.

Ardern’s tough and swift lockdowns, along with closing the international border from March 2020, were credited with reining in COVID-19 in the country.

However, the government now faces questions over a delayed vaccine rollout, as well as rising costs in a country heavily reliant on an immigrant workforce.

Around 21% of the population of 5.1 million people have been fully vaccinated, the slowest pace among the wealthy nations of the OECD grouping.