COVID-19 | New Zealand sees record number of new cases
(Wellington) New Zealand on Tuesday recorded a record number of coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic, as a variable delta forced the archipelago to abandon its “zero COVID-19” strategy.
Posted on October 19, 2021
Health authorities announced 94 new cases, a number exceeding the previous record of 89 infections recorded in April 2020, during the first wave of COVID-19.
The number of infections has not stopped increasing since the appearance of the delta variant in mid-August, which is the most contagious, in the country.
The outbreak, which was in Auckland, forced Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to abandon her “zero COVID-19” strategy in favor of ramping up the vaccination campaign.
The center-left leader is due to unveil a plan on Friday to ease restrictions once vaccination targets are met.
About two-thirds of the population of vaccination age was vaccinated.
“We know vaccination is already making a big difference epidemiologically in Auckland, but also the people who follow the procedures,” the lady said.me Ardern Press.
Until the arrival of Variable Delta, the archipelago was shielded from epidemic, notably due to strict border measures and an extensive tracking policy, which enabled New Zealanders in particular to benefit from a near-normal life.
This policy has yielded, as the state, since the beginning of the epidemic, has recorded only 28 deaths out of five million people.
Mme Ardern acknowledged that the Delta variant is a “game changer”, as the speed at which it spreads makes contact states impossible to trace, and impossible to eradicate.
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