New Zealand is enacting new measures to fight COVID-19 after recorded 21 new community cases for the second day in a row, swelling the outbreak to 72.
The outbreak is New Zealand’s first time dealing with Delta, the more infectious and potentially deadly variant of the virus.
Concerningly, a large proportion of infections have been among young people – who travel and gather more often than older people – growing the cluster further.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield revealed a potential super-spreader event had taken place at the Samoa Assembly of God’s church service last Sunday, urging attendees to isolate and get tested urgently.
“Several of the new cases are linked to (that) church service,” he said.
“It’s one of a number of large gatherings and we’ve got several large schools also involved. This is a priority for our contact tracing efforts.”
Dr Bloomfield commended New Zealand’s Pacific community – which has been the centre of previous outbreaks – for responding to the call to get tested.
“They’re very good at mobilising to get tested … by far the highest rates of testing is among our Pacific community,” he said.
Of the 72 total cases, 66 are in Auckland and six are in Wellington.
Five are currently receiving hospital-level care.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern ordered the country into a nationwide lockdown after discovering one case, back on Tuesday.
She will convene her cabinet on Monday to confirm lockdown extensions for Auckland and Wellington, and consider restriction levels for the rest of the country.
On Sunday, COVID-19 Minister Chris Hipkins said scanning in at places and gatherings would become compulsory to aid with contact tracing.
Ms Ardern’s government had pushed back against the measure for months.
“We’ve been exploring how best to do this,” Mr Hipkins said, saying the delay was down to overcoming legal, privacy and technical hurdles.
The government will also allow for childcare for households were both parents are essential workers – allowing emergency service workers and border workers to return to the front line.
While New Zealand’s lacklustre vaccination rates has allowed the outbreak to take hold, Mr Hipkins was able to report a rollout milestone.
As of Saturday, one million Kiwis are fully vaccinated – just less than 20 per cent of the population.
AAP
