New Zealand COVID outbreak cases surge past 100
New Zealand has announced 35 new cases of COVID-19 found in the community on Monday, bringing the size of the Delta variant outbreak to 107.
Of the 107 cases, 72 are already linked to other community cases identified in the outbreak. The Ministry of Health said that 33 of the new cases are in Auckland and two are in Wellington.
A driver has a COVID-19 test at a driver through clinic in Auckland.Credit:AP
Investigations are continuing to determine whether and how the remaining 35 cases are linked to the outbreak, however most have a plausible link on initial assessment.
The total number of community cases in Auckland is now 99 and Wellington’s number of community cases has increased to eight.
In a statement, the Ministry of Health said: “it’s not unexpected to see a rise in daily case numbers at this stageâ€.
On Sunday, New Zealand reported 21 new community cases, which took the national total to 72. The outbreak moved from Auckland, where it had started, to Wellington.
The country is currently on alert level 4, or lockdown, until 11.59pm on Tuesday night, but that appears likely to be extended.
New Zealand’s cabinet will meet today to decide the next steps for the country after an outbreak last week, traced to a returned visitor from Australia, spread, prompting a nationwide lockdown.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield are expected to update the public on the decision of cabinet at 4pm (New Zealand time) or 2pm AEST.
AdvertisementThe original cluster is genetically linked to a returnee from Sydney who entered managed isolation on August 7 and was transferred to hospital on August 16.
ESR, New Zealand’s national research institute, is running genome sequencing on cases.
On Sunday, 29 samples were sequenced and “all were confirmed as being linked to the Auckland outbreakâ€.
There were also three new cases of recent returnees in managed isolation facilities testing positive.
Of the three, the origin of one case in quarantine in Christchurch remains “unknownâ€.
More to come
Chris Zappone is Digital Foreign Editor.
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