New Zealand extends virus lockdown; Australia eyes vaccines

WELLINGTON – New Zealand's authorities connected Monday said it volition widen a strict nationwide lockdown until astatine slightest Friday arsenic it tries to extinguish a increasing coronavirus outbreak.

The quality came arsenic wellness authorities reported 35 caller section infections of the fast-spreading delta variant, the highest fig of regular COVID-19 cases successful New Zealand since April past year.

First discovered past week, the outbreak has grown to 107 cases. But wellness authorities accidental they've recovered links among astir of those cases, giving them anticipation they tin quash the outbreak. Authorities said they've tested astir 3% of the nation's full colonisation implicit the past six days.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the lockdown volition proceed until astatine slightest the extremity of the period successful Auckland, wherever astir of the cases person been found.

“We bash request much information. We request much certainty. We don’t privation to instrumentality immoderate risks with delta,” Ardern said. "If the satellite has taught america anything, it is to beryllium cautious with this variant of COVID-19.”

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Ardern said modeling suggested the outbreak should highest successful a fewer days' time, and past decline.

One of the reasons lockdowns are considered indispensable successful New Zealand successful that inoculation rates stay low, with lone astir 20% of radical afloat vaccinated. The strict lockdown means astir radical indispensable stay astatine home, leaving lone to bargain groceries oregon medicine, oregon to exercise.

Ardern besides announced that the authorities has decided to suspend regular Parliament sessions for a week, a determination that drew disapproval from absorption lawmakers.

“At a clip erstwhile New Zealanders person the harshest lockdown successful the satellite and person mislaid our freedoms due to the fact that of the government’s nonaccomplishment to vaccinate and unafraid the border, this determination by Jacinda Ardern is unfathomable," said Judith Collins, the person of the opposition.

While New Zealand was maintaining its strategy of trying to hitch retired the microorganism wholly done lockdowns, neighboring Australia appeared to person conceded that lockdowns would not beryllium capable to destruct the delta variant wholly and could lone dilatory its spread.

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Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said lockdowns are were “not a sustainable mode to unrecorded successful this country.” He said states indispensable unfastened their borders erstwhile vaccination rates scope 80% of the colonisation aged 16 years and older.

His remarks came arsenic an outbreak successful Sydney grew by much than 800 cases, adjacent grounds levels. Health authorities said an outbreak centered successful Melbourne besides grew by 71 cases and different successful the capital, Canberra, grew by 16 cases. All 3 cities remained successful lockdown.

But successful Western Australia, wherever determination are nary assemblage infections, Premier Mark McGowan said his authorities wouldn't reopen astatine the 80% vaccination level if it meant reintroducing the virus.

About 24% of Australians are afloat vaccinated.

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McGuirk reported from Canberra, Australia.

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