Covid: New Zealand to go under lockdown after one case of infection

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern on Tuesday imposed a countrywide lockdown for three days after one Covid-19 case was reported in Auckland city.

This was the first coronavirus case that New Zealand has reported in six months.

From Wednesday onwards, the entire island country will be placed under a Alert 4 lockdown, which is the most stringent one.

Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula are likely to stay at Level 4 for the next seven days.

From 11.59pm tonight Tuesday 17 August, all of NZ will move to Alert Level 4. This measure will remain in place for 3 days from 11:59pm tonight for all of NZ, with the exception of Auckland & the Coromandel Peninsular, with both staying in Level 4 likely for the next 7 days. pic.twitter.com/4ieTNv6KTu

— Unite against COVID-19 (@covid19nz) August 17, 2021

Under the new restrictions, residents would be able to leave home only to buy groceries, access healthcare facilities, exercise in their local area or go to offices if working from home is not possible. Several public spaces, including restaurants, bars, schools, gymnasiums, cinema halls, and playgrounds would be closed.

Ardern said that the best strategy would be to “go hard” in order to deal with the situation as quickly as possible, Reuters reported.

“We have made the decision on…

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