New Zealand recorded 35 new COVID-19 infections on Monday, bringing the total number of cases in the latest community outbreak to 107. The new community cases of the Delta variant were recorded in Auckland and Wellington.
According to the Ministry of Health, 33 new community cases were detected in Auckland and two were from Wellington. The ministry said all infected individuals had been transferred safely to a secure isolation facility, and all safety precautions were taken.
"It's not unexpected to see a rise in daily case numbers at this stage. At its peak last year, New Zealand had a daily total of 89 new cases," the ministry said.
As of Monday, the total number of community cases in Auckland stands at 99 cases, while it has increased to eight in Wellington. Authorities said that out of the 107 cases, 72 have already been epidemiologically linked to their original community cases.
Investigators are still conducting further contact tracing to identify the source of the outbreak. There are reportedly 320 locations of interest that are now being investigated, and more than 13,000 contacts have been recorded.
Due to the current outbreak, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced Monday that she would be extending the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown. She said the level 4 national lockdown would be extended for another three days through Aug. 27, while it would be extended through Aug. 31 for Auckland - the epicenter of the latest outbreak.
Ardern said the current outbreak of the Delta variant in the country has not yet reached its peak, and more infections could occur in the coming days. She added that the safest option for everyone is to remain in lockdown.
COVID-19 response minister Chris Hipkins said the Delta variant of the coronavirus is causing a lot of concerns given its high transmissibility. He said the variant is "changing the game considerably," and existing protection protocols may not be adequate to contain it.
New Zealand was one of the first countries to become "COVID free." It had been praised for its quick action to stop the spread of the virus last year. Since the start of the pandemic, New Zealand has recorded 3,054 total cases and 26 deaths.
