Auckland: New Zealand recorded its first Covid death in six months on Saturday. This is the first reported death from the Delta variant of the new coronavirus in the country. The deceased woman was in her 90s and had a number of age related health conditions, as per the health officials.
‘Every death is a reminder of the damage Covid-19 can cause when it gets into our community, our older New Zealanders and those with underlying health issues are by far the most at risk from the virus and one of the reasons lockdowns are such an important tool to stop its spread’: said Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern in the official statement.
New Zealand appears to be breaking the chain of transmission of the highly infectious Delta variant, with Saturday’s numbers backing a lowering trend seen in recent days. Caroline McEnlay, the director of public health, described the declining numbers over the past week as ‘encouraging’. ‘We are being successful in breaking the chain of transmission’: she added.
About 1.7 million people in Auckland, the nation’s largest city, and the epicentre of pandemic outbreak, have been in strict level 4 lockdown since mid-August. Curbs have been eased in the rest of the countries, but schools and offices as well as cafe, restaurants and all public venues remain closed. Most New Zealanders have been asked to stay indoors.
New Zealand, a nation of five million, has reported 3,392 confirmed cases of Covid-19 and 27 related deaths since the pandemic began. Active cases of the current outbreak stand at 782, with 765 in Auckland and 17 in Wellington, the capital city.
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