New Zealand Extends "Lockdown" Until August 27th

INTERNATIONAL   |  Wellington -  New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Monday extended a strict lockdown to prevent Covid-19 and said the outbreak of the Delta variant of the coronavirus had not yet reached its peak.

The level 4 national lockdown was extended by three days until midnight August 27, while Auckland, the epicenter of the Covid-19 outbreak in the country, will impose restrictions until at least August 31.

"The safest option for all of us right now is to keep the restrictions longer," Ardern said at a news conference.

"The world has taught us something, be careful with this variant of COVID-19," he added.

Ardern said community contact by people infected with the Delta variant was reported across the country. There are more than 320 locations linked to the outbreak and 13,000 contacts have been recorded, far more than in previous outbreaks.

"The Delta variant has changed the rules of the game," Ardern said.

New Zealand earlier in the day reported 35 new cases of COVID-19 bringing the total number of infections to 107. The health ministry said in a statement that 33 of the new cases came from Auckland and the other two cases from the capital Wellington.