New Zealand locks down biggest city after first local cases of coronavirus in 102 days

By Praveen Menon

 

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern during a news conference prior to the anniversary of the mosque attacks that took place the prior year in Christchurch, New Zealand, March 13, 2020. REUTERS/Martin Hunter/File Photo

 

WELLINGTON (Reuters) - New Zealand announced on Tuesday it was shutting down its largest city, Auckland, after four new cases of COVID-19 were discovered in the city, the first evidence of domestic transmission after being coronavirus-free for 102 days.

 

New Zealand's successful fight against COVID-19 was hailed globally and the Pacific island nation of 5 million was seen as one of the safest places, as the pandemic raged globally.

 

Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said the four confirmed cases were within one family in South Auckland. One person is in their 50s. They had no history of international travel. Family members have been tested and contact tracing is under way.

 

News of the cases sent panic across the country with media reporting people rushing to supermarkets to stack up, and businesses preparing to shut.

 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Auckland would move to level 3 restriction from noon on Wednesday as a "precautionary approach", which would mean people should stay away from work and school, and gatherings or more than 10 people would again be restricted.

 

The restriction would be applied for three days until Friday, which she said would be enough time to assess the situation, gather information and make sure there was widespread contact tracing.

 

"This is something we have prepared for," Ardern said in a surprise news conference, adding that the increased caution was as the source of the virus was unknown.

 

"We have had a 102 days and it was easy to feel New Zealand was out of the woods. No country has gone as far as we did without having a resurgence. And because we were the only ones, we had to plan. And we have planned," she said.

 

New Zealand is set to vote in a national election on Sept 19. Ardern said she has not given any consideration to the impact of the new restrictions on the polls at this stage.

 

SOCIAL DISTANCING

 

Travel into Auckland, on the North Island, would be restricted unless you live there, she said.

 

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said in a statement: “I am urging Aucklanders to come together like we did last time to stamp out community transmission. Please remain calm, please do not panic buy and please follow the lockdown rules."

 

Ardern also said the rest of New Zealand was entering alert level 2 from midday Wednesday for three days. This would mean social distancing measures would be applied again and mass gatherings would be limited to 100 people.

 

New Zealand marked 100 days without a domestic transmission of the coronavirus on Sunday, but warned against complacency as countries like Vietnam and Australia which once had the virus under control now battle a resurgence in infections.

 

New Zealand was placed under a tight lockdown for weeks after reported its first known case on Feb. 26 and the last case of community transmission was detected on May 1. Ardern had declared the virus had been eliminated from the community.

 

Bloomfield said the unknown nature of the new cases mean it was likely there would be more positive case in the coming days.

 

He said people should use masks in places where it was hard to physically distance.

 

"The case is a wake up call for any complacency that may have set in," Bloomfield said.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-08-11

 

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1 minute ago, snoop1130 said:

The restriction would be applied for three days until Friday, which she said would be enough time to assess the situation, gather information and make sure there was widespread contact tracing.

Seems like a sensible approach. 

Imo a fine example of leadership her first concern is for her country not herself kudos madam and good luck 

21 minutes ago, Tug said:

Imo a fine example of leadership her first concern is for her country not herself kudos madam and good luck 

 Yes, the world needs more leaders like her. 

I would be curious to see how this plays out over the long term if you are going to go on lockdown every time a new case is found. 

Absolute insanity. 

 

I always respected NZ. To me this would be like calling for world war 3 because someone stubbed their left pinky toe. 

36 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

I would be curious to see how this plays out over the long term if you are going to go on lockdown every time a new case is found. 

Exactly right.

 

Reclose schools every new case.

Relock cities every new infection. 

 

Absolute insanity. It is even more insane that people applaud her. 

 

What has clearly happened is the general public has freaked out and overreacted, and officials are pandering to the illogical whims of the hoard. 

Edited August 11, 20205 yr by utalkin2me

35 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

I would be curious to see how this plays out over the long term if you are going to go on lockdown every time a new case is found. 

It is a Level 3 and a temporary measure. Although called a "lockdown", it is not a  lockdown.

Essential services continue to function.  Grocery/Food stores will remain open, restaurant food delivery, takeouts, and drive-throughs will be allowed;  day care for essential  workers continues; public transit continues, Important industries like construction and  manufacturing remain open, as will retail so long as it is contactless retail; gatherings of under 10 people are allowed and exercise at parks within the region is allowed.  

 

Keep it real.

10 minutes ago, utalkin2me said:

Exactly right.

 

Reclose schools every new case.

Relock cities every new infection. 

 

Absolute insanity. It is even more insane that people applaud her. 

 

What has clearly happened is the general public has freaked out and overreacted, and officials are pandering to the illogical whims of the hoard. 

Except that is not what will happen. 

Have you ever considered  taking the time  to understand what a Level 3 Control procedure is?

Why do you people panic and become hysterical imagining  a situation and conditions that do not exist?

The sky is falling, the sky is falling, chicken littles......

Seems an overreaction. All new cases in one family. Shouldn't be hard to quarantine them, contact trace their movements and let everyone else go on with their lives.

 

But Ardern is cute. I'll do whatever she asks. Even though I've never been to NZ in my life.

Off-topic, troll posts and replies removed.   The OP was clear it was level 3 restrictions:  
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Auckland would move to level 3 restriction from noon on Wednesday as a "precautionary approach", which would mean people should stay away from work and school, and gatherings or more than 10 people would again be restricted.

 

Please stay on topic.  

 

3 minutes ago, Why Me said:

Seems an overreaction. All new cases in one family. Shouldn't be hard to quarantine them, contact trace their movements and let everyone else go on with their lives.

 

But Ardern is cute. I'll do whatever she asks. Even though I've never been to NZ in my life.

It may be an overreaction, there is no way of knowing.   The situation is that the people who got it did not travel overseas, so who did they catch it from?   That is why erring on the side of caution is the prudent thing to do, IMO.

8 minutes ago, Quidio said:

It may be an overreaction, there is no way of knowing.   The situation is that the people who got it did not travel overseas, so who did they catch it from?   That is why erring on the side of caution is the prudent thing to do, IMO.

"so who did they catch it from?" is answered by contact tracing the family of four. Not by asking one million to stay home.

Lockdown whole city because of 4 cases ? So NZ doesn't have such good track and trace ! Pathetic response Ardern 

10 minutes ago, Why Me said:

"so who did they catch it from?" is answered by contact tracing the family of four. Not by asking one million to stay home.

Testing to find asymptomatic cases may help

Bang on time for latest scare.

So where did it come from if NZ had no infections and have been locked down for for so long?

 

I suppose next they will be telling us it travels in the atmosphere and descends down on random people in places where there's no covid.

 

Australia was doing great for so long but suprise suprise Melbourne is hit..  of course, whose airport just happens to be the major hub for Aussie international travel.  Put that down as ticked off the list, to ensure Aussies stay put for well into next year.

 

Might be a matter of interest also, to watch the few countries left in the world that have no corona.

 

Who will be suprised if those countries start getting these seemingly "random"  one-off mystery infections in the coming weeks.   Somethings a bit on the nose me thinks.

1 hour ago, pixelaoffy said:

Lockdown whole city because of 4 cases ? So NZ doesn't have such good track and trace ! Pathetic response Ardern 

They did not lock down the whole city like they do in Thailand you still can move around they just restricted moving from other cities, get a life.

Just look at the situation in Australia the states who are closed their borders to other states are virtual free from covid-19. We don't even wears masks in WA.

3 hours ago, utalkin2me said:

Exactly right.

 

Reclose schools every new case.

Relock cities every new infection. 

 

Absolute insanity. It is even more insane that people applaud her. 

 

What has clearly happened is the general public has freaked out and overreacted, and officials are pandering to the illogical whims of the hoard. 

Correct. And that is what the whole approach has been...built on fear and fear monger and brainwashing the sheeple. For all those not living here try and appreciate what is going on here instead of the ohhing and aching over the clueless speech presenter we have as an PM

She has pinned the upcoming election on one thing...managing Covid. No policies....nothing. That was her one task and she failed. The border control that everything was based on is a massive stuff up. People are pouring into the country from infected countries and the control is a shambles with all the gofers managing these people freely moving between the incoming and their families and the wider community. 
There has been total incompetence from the time she was elected that has seen this countries economy nosediving prior to Covid. Currently she is like a true socialist with no accountability throwing money around like a drunken sailor putting this country into debt that is going to overwhelm it. This one task that they could have got right they have stuffed up. The sheep who were all following overnight are waking up to her bull <deleted> and turning against her one offering of be kind.

 

9 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

"We have had a 102 days and it was easy to feel New Zealand was out of the woods. No country has gone as far as we did without having a resurgence. And because we were the only ones, we had to plan. And we have planned," she said.

You are a small island community in the middle of nowhere, dear. Try the fight when you have the global traffic of a world hub, then we can talk about how well you've done. 

6 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

I would be curious to see how this plays out over the long term if you are going to go on lockdown every time a new case is found. 

Indeed, it's a bit worrying really. Envisioned moving back there some day, but thinking NZ is getting so paranoid over a few cases and wanting to maintain that 'perfect' status, that it will be one of the longest-to-recover places when the reality of this thing is that things have to open up as life has to move on.

Bet the dad visited a knock shop and wont own up.

7 hours ago, Why Me said:

"so who did they catch it from?" is answered by contact tracing the family of four. Not by asking one million to stay home.

Restricting movement reduces transmission. Contact tracing in an  unrestricted mobile population could become endless .

Her country, her call. A three day cautionary stoppage is not the end of the world.  

Looks like the Chinese may have been right with the salmon saga

 

Investigations were zeroing in on the potential the virus was imported by freight. Bloomfield said surface testing was underway in an Auckland cool store where a man from the infected family worked.

 

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-newzealand/new-zealand-considers-freight-as-possible-source-of-new-coronavirus-cluster-idUSKCN25801P

how did that happen, with no incoming people ? mhhhhhhhhhhhh

14 hours ago, utalkin2me said:

Absolute insanity. 

 

I always respected NZ. To me this would be like calling for world war 3 because someone stubbed their left pinky toe. 

Adhern told us that she saved us, so she owned it, and now she's responsible for the failure of the government to do its job properly. Border quarantine has been a farce, IMO, and no wonder at all that there are new cases.

 

BTW, we are not all sheeple.

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by thaibeachlovers

2 hours ago, Bender Rodriguez said:

how did that happen, with no incoming people ? mhhhhhhhhhhhh

Rubbish. Hundreds of people have arrived during the past months.

23 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Rubbish. Hundreds of people have arrived during the past months.

 

but supposedly all then quarantining.

 

And so far they have not been able to tie these cases to international travel.  There will probably prove to be a connection but it will be several people removed from the iinitially detected  cases. Which means there will be others as well.

 

COVID cases are rather like bats and mice in your house. However many you spot, there are in fact many fold more.

11 minutes ago, Sheryl said:

 

but supposedly all then quarantining.

 

And so far they have not been able to tie these cases to international travel.  There will probably prove to be a connection but it will be several people removed from the iinitially detected  cases. Which means there will be others as well.

 

COVID cases are rather like bats and mice in your house. However many you spot, there are in fact many fold more.

I take it you are not in NZ, but the quarantine has been a very bad joke with people absconding to buy booze, and a man reportedly broke IN presumably to have sex with one of those in quarantine. Security guards sleeping and supposedly having sex with those quarantined.

In the worst case a couple in quarantine were actually given permission to DRIVE from Auckland to Wellington by themselves and they were in physical contact with others during the drive. They became ill on arrival and tested positive.

I fail to see how it could have been carried out any worse than the reality.

Edited August 12, 20205 yr by thaibeachlovers