New Zealand wants to strike fast and hard to prevent an outbreak of the coronavirus epidemic.
The government extended this Friday until August 31 its national confinement, put in place on August 17.
A case of the much more contagious Delta variant was discovered in Auckland, the large city of the North Island, last week, ending six months without local 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.
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."
At least two more weeks of confinement in Auckland
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.
Jacinda Ardern said police roadblocks will be erected to prevent movement between Auckland, Northland province and the rest of the country.
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.
World
Coronavirus: Strong emotion for the launch of the "bubble" between Australia and New Zealand
Health
Coronavirus: Faced with the Delta variant, New Zealand questions its “zero Covid” strategy
Covid 19
Confinement
Jacinda Ardern
Coronavirus
New Zealand
World