New Zealand declares a state of emergency across the country due to a single case of Covid-19

 

New Zealand's Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, has ordered a statewide lockdown after the country confirmed only one coronavirus infection, the country's first domestically transmitted Covid-19 case since February. 

New Zealand has been hailed for its response to the virus, which included closing its borders to practically all foreign nationals and imposing tight state-run quarantines on incoming passengers. 

As a result of this strategy, it has avoided the disastrous covid-19 outbreaks that have occurred in other nations. 

How it Happened

In the country's largest city, Auckland, a 58-year-old man who had not been vaccinated tested positive for the virus. 

Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said Tuesday that the individual had gone to other parts of the country and had a clear relationship to the border. 

In a population of around 5 million people, New Zealand has reported less than 3,000 Covid-19 infections and only 26 deaths. 

On Tuesday, August 17, Ardern conducted a press conference in which she stated that authorities believe it is the contagious Delta variation, however genetic sequencing is still being done. 

Ardern announced that New Zealand will be placed on the highest level of lockdown for the next three days, beginning at 11:59 p.m. local time on Tuesday. 

Everyone must stay at home during a level four lockdown, with the exception of necessary services such as supermarkets and pharmacies, which remain open. 

Ardern stated, "We are one of the last countries in the world to have the Delta version in our community.

"We're in a position to learn from international experience, as well as what activities work and don't work.

"Delta has been dubbed a game-changer, and it certainly is. To stop the spread, we'll have to go hard and early once more. We've seen what can happen if we don't get on top of things. We only have one chance to make a good impression."