Wellington (AFP)
New Zealand extended its national confinement on Friday until August 31 to curb the spread of Covid-19 cases linked to the Delta variant and this measure will remain in force longer in Auckland, the epicenter of the epidemic.
A case of the much more contagious variant was discovered in Auckland, the large city of the North Island, last week, ending six months without locally-sourced contamination.
This infection has given rise to the largest epidemic focus in the country since the start of the pandemic, with a total of 347 cases, including 70 recorded on Friday.
National confinement, extended until August 31, was put in place on August 17.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said there are signs that the epidemic will peak soon if the lockdown remains in place.
"We should soon reach a plateau in terms of the number of cases," she said.
"Our job is to keep working hard in order to flex and then flatten the (infection) curve."
She said Auckland, where all but 14 cases have been identified, and the neighboring region of Northland, will need to be contained for at least two more weeks.
The archipelago intends to pursue its "zero Covid" strategy, while the spread of the Delta variant, which is much more contagious, is undermining the effectiveness of a policy which has hitherto been successful.
Ms Ardern said police checkpoints will be erected to prevent movement between Auckland, Northland province and the rest of the country.
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern at a press conference on the health situation, August 18, 2021 in Wellington Mark MITCHELL POOL / AFP / Archives
To date, only 26 people have died of Covid-19 out of five million inhabitants, thanks to a strict border closure as well as confinements and an intense tracing policy as soon as new cases appear.
© 2021 AFP