New Zealanders are readying themselves to go into lockdown again today, following four new confirmed cases of COVID-19 that ended a 102-day record run without any further infections.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced overnight that she was taking immediate steps to lock down Auckland after four new cases of COVID-19 were discovered in the city from the same family, despite the international borders being closed and returning New Zealanders put in mandatory quarantine.
The government has said the source of the new infections is still unknown so far.
New Zealand’s biggest city will move back into alert level-3 lockdown, which would mean people should stay away from work and school, and gatherings or more than 10 people would again be restricted.
The restrictions will be in effect from midday on Wednesday for three days, until Friday.
The rest of New Zealand will move to level 2 restrictions, meaning social distancing measures would be applied and mass gatherings would be limited to 100 people.
New Zealand’s successful fight against COVID-19 was hailed globally, with the nation of 5 million the envy of the world as life and domestic tourism had begun a new normality in recent weeks.
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Sunday had marked 100 days without any domestic transmission of COVID-19 with Ms Ardern last week warning against any complacency in light of the second wave in Australia.
Speaking on New Zealand’s TVNZ1’s Breakfast last week, Ms Ardern said what is happening in Victoria was a reminder for Kiwi’s to stay vigilant.
“It’s incredibly difficult to watch to see our cousins over the ditch going through this, it’s also a message to us to continue to maintain our vigilance,” she had said.
