WELLINGTON, Oct 19 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand reported 94 new Delta variant cases of COVID-19 in the community today, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country’s community outbreak to 2,099.
Eighty-seven of the new infections were recorded in the largest city Auckland, and seven in nearby Waikato, Director-General of Health, Ashley Bloomfield told a press conference.
Thirty-eight community cases are being treated in hospitals, including five in intensive care units (ICUs), or high dependency units (HDUs), Bloomfield said.
There are 1,891 cases that have been epidemiologically linked to another case, or a sub-cluster, and a further 183 cases for which links are yet to be fully established, he said.
New Zealand also reported five new cases identified at the border in recent returnees. The cases have remained in quarantine in Auckland.
The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand since the start of the pandemic stands at 4,794 currently, according to the health ministry.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said yesterday, Auckland will remain in level 3 with current restrictions for another two weeks, and the rest of New Zealand will remain at level 2.
Northland will relax restrictions by moving down to level 2 at 11:59 p.m. tonight. Parts of Waikato will remain at level 3, Ardern said.– NNN-AGENCIES
