NZ Covid-19 oubreak spread beyond Auckland with 12 new confirmed cases

In a major blow to New Zealand’s efforts to contain Covid-19, health officials there announced today that the resurgent coronavirus outbreak has spread beyond Auckland, its largest city. Health Minister Chris Hipkins said there were 12 confirmed cases of local transmission and 1 probable, following the shock reemergence of the virus in Auckland on Tuesday. He said 2 of the infections were found in the North Island town of Tokoroa, around 210 kilometres south of Auckland.

The infections outside Auckland come despite a strict lockdown, including masked police blocking roads to seal its borders. Hipkins played down fears the failure to limit infections to Auckland meant the virus could now be rampant elsewhere:

“All of the cases so far are connected, they are all part of 1 Auckland-based cluster, that’s good news. We’ve seen no evidence of a Covid-19 case outside of Auckland that is unrelated to the cluster we are dealing with.”

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is set to announce later today whether Auckland’s lockdown will be extended, and whether the area affected should be enlarged beyond the city.

SOURCE: Bangkok Post | Barrons