New Zealand's Covid-19 outbreak rages on despite strict lockdown

PM Jacinda Ardern has conceded Delta was a `game-changer`. Pic/AFP

New Zealand reported 104 new Coronavirus infections on Saturday, including the first community case of the virus in the country's South Island in nearly a year, health officials said. Most of the new infections were reported in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, that has been under a strict lockdown for more than two months. Looser restrictions are in place in the rest of the country of five million.

The risks of a further spread from the case reported in Blenheim, in the north east of the South Island, remained low, health officials said, with the person likely in the late stage of infection. "So far, initial case interviews have identified a small number of close contacts, who have been contacted and are currently isolating with tests arranged," the health ministry said in a statement.

On Friday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that New Zealand will end its strict lockdown measures and restore more freedoms only when 90 per cent of its eligible population is fully vaccinated. As of Saturday, 70 per cent of those eligible were fully inoculated. The escalating situation has forced Ardern to abandon her ambitious Covid-19 elimination strategy and switch to living with the virus.

Pfizer vax 90.7 % effective in kids

Pfizer and its partner BioNTech said their Covid-19 vaccine is safe and 90.7 per cent effective against symptomatic Coronavirus in children aged 5 to 11. Pfizer and BioNTech are applying FDA emergency use authorisation (EUA) of a two-dose regimen of their 10-microgram dose for children of the mentioned age group.

‘Covid-19 killed more people in US than HIV/AIDS'

Covid-19 has become the deadliest pandemic in the US history, claiming more lives than HIV/AIDS claimed in 40 years, according to the National website. The US government's initial approach to both HIV/AIDS and Covid-19 was "denial and indifference", it stated.

24,38,76,219
TOTAL Number OF CORONAVIRUS

CASES IN THE WORLD

49,56,039
Number OF DEATHS WORLDWIDE

22,09,76,280
Number OF RECOVERED PATIENTS

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