Home

Coronavirus crisis: New Zealand outbreak came from NSW, up to seven

Ben McKayAAP
VideoNew Zealand’s COVID outbreak has grown to four new cases all linked to a 58-year-old man who is confirmed to have the Delta variant

Jacinda Ardern says the growth of a Delta strain of COVID-19 outbreak in Auckland - which arrived via NSW - confirms her government’s decision to put New Zealand into lockdown was necessary.

On Wednesday, the outbreak jumped from one to seven people as New Zealand began its first nationwide lockdown since May last year.

The level four lockdown - with NZ’s harshest level of restrictions - will last at least three days in an attempt to quash the spread of the deadly virus.

Auckland and the Coromandel, where ‘Case A’ travelled while infectious, will spend at least seven days in lockdown.

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said generic modelling suggested the cluster could grow to around “50 and 120 cases”.

Six of the seven cases are young people who socialised heavily around Auckland during their likely infectious period - including trips to a nightclub, church and the casino.

“We’re expecting more (cases). Particularly of the age group and demographic,” Ms Ardern said.

Genomic sequencing confirmed the strain as the Delta variant, and a link to the NSW outbreak.

“That means level four was the right decision,” Ms Ardern said.

“Our case has originated in Australia. Our job now is to work through how and when it got here.

“There is more work to be done to help piece together this puzzle ... a lot of leads to chase down.”

Case A is a 58-year-old man who lives in Devonport, an affluent coastal suburb in North Auckland, a tradesperson who visited a number of homes while infectious.

According to the NZ Herald, one of his co-workers has also contracted the virus.

That co-worker is likely to have passed on the virus to his three housemates and two friends.

That includes a 21-year-old female health worker at Auckland Hospital who Dr Bloomfield said “worked four shifts while unknowingly potentially infectious” and a 25-year-old female teacher at Avondale College.

Aside from the hospital worker, all were aged below 30 and therefore not yet eligible for vaccine under New Zealand’s slow rollout.

The hospital is in “a form of internal lockdown” according to Ms Ardern, who downplayed the risk to the country’s under-resourced health system.

“We’ve had covid positive cases in our health workforce before ... they’re well versed in these practices,” Ms Ardern said.

The cases are New Zealand’s first in the community since February, a 170-day streak that officials warned would likely end at some point.

The lockdown contains measures harsher than comparative Australian restrictions.

Kiwis must stay within their household “bubble” and leave the house only for a small number of essential reasons.

Travel is severely limited, schools are closed, and only essential businesses - such as supermarkets, petrol stations and pharmacies, where people must wear masks - are closed.

Holidayers have been given 48 hours to get back to their normal place of residence, sparking a frenzy on Air New Zealand flights around the country.

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails