New Zealand, Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern extends lockdown by 12 days. Earlier this week Auckland, the country’s largest city went back to a lockdown. This happened so because Auckland reached Level 3 in the “alert levels” of New Zealand.
After successfully containing coronavirus community transmission for 102 days a new cluster of cases came forth. On Monday 9, new cases were confirmed bringing the no.of active cases to 58. The outbreak was first traced to members of one family. Jacinda Ardren says that the earliest contract tracing went back to a shop worker on the 31st of July.
A health official who knew the family members, told New Zealand Herald that the family were “shell shocked” and “a little embarrassed that it had happened to them”.
New Zealand: The election dates are postponed:
Due to the spike in coronavirus cases elections would now be held on 17th of October. Earlier it was to take place on the 19th September.
On Monday Ardern addressed that the new date would allow the parties “to plan around the range of circumstances we will be campaigning under”.
Ardern said “this decision gives all parties time over the next 9 week to campaign and the electoral commission enough time to ensure an election to go ahead”. She further adds that she has absolutely “no intention” of allowing any further delay.
The opposition National Party argued this delay as an unfair advantage to Jacinda Ardern. Jacinda ensured that the 12 days restriction was “in keeping with our cautionary approach and New Zealand philosophy of going hard and going early.
By this duration “the cluster will be identified, will be isolated , and we can move to level to in Auckland with confidence”. We hope the best for New Zealand. It served as a becon of hope to all the nations tackling a deadly pandemic.
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