Published 07:17 IST, August 14th 2020
New Zealand scrambles to contain new outbreak; 17 new COVID-19 cases recorded in Auckland
After going more than 102 days without a single new case of COVID-19 infection, a growing cluster of cases in Auckland has shocked the people of New Zealand.
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After going more than 102 days without a single new case of COVID-19 infection, a growing cluster of cases in Auckland has shocked the people of New Zealand.
According to reports, 13 new cases have been discovered in New Zealand’s biggest city, with a population of 1.4 million people, and all of them can be traced back to 4 previously identified cases.
'Will Get Worse'
According to reports, New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said that things would get worse before getting better. Experts believe the virus could have been circulating in Auckland for weeks. New Zealand now has 17 new COVID-19 cases
Ardern, who has been praised worldwide for her handling of the pandemic, is reported to have stated that the new cases in New Zealand are proof that COVID-19 is a tricky virus and can spread easily.
All schools and childcare centres, and non-essential businesses in Auckland have closed and it appears likely that the city will once again go into a level 3 lockdown. The decision regarding lockdown is expected on August 14.
According to reports, New Zealand now witnessed 36 cases and authorities are currently using contact tracing to determine any people that the infected persons may have come in contact with and are isolating them.
The coronavirus pandemic which saw its first outbreak in a wet market in Wuhan, China last year has now spread all across the world. The virus, named COVID-19 by the World Health Organisation, has infected over 21 million people worldwide with the global death toll reaching over 753,00.
As per the John Hopkins coronavirus resource centre, the United States has reported a total of at least 5,246,760 positive virus cases and has a death toll of 167,052. The US currently has the highest number of reported cases in the world, making it the epicentre of the deadly virus.
07:17 IST, August 14th 2020