A medical worker administers a virus test during a lockdown in Auckland on Thursday. Reuters

Gulf Today Report

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the strict nationwide lockdown enforced to stamp out COVID-19 was helping limit the spread of the highly infectious Delta variant, even as the number of new cases rose on Thursday.

New Zealand reported 68 new cases on Thursday taking the total number of people infected in the latest outbreak to 277. Of the total cases, 263 are in Auckland and 14 are in the capital Wellington.

The entire country of 5 million is under stay at home orders, with schools and most workplaces closed until at least the end of the month.

READ MORE

India registers growth in daily coronavirus cases

Japan suspends around 1.63m doses of Moderna over contamination

"Lockdown is having an impact but Delta is very tricky," Ardern said at a news conference. "We do need to be incredibly vigilant."

New Zealand has been largely free of the virus since last year, barring a small number of cases in February, but that changed last week after an outbreak of the Delta variant erupted in Auckland, prompting Ardern to order the lockdown.

New Zealand's Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to the media.

Ardern's strategy to eliminate the virus using strict border controls and snap lockdowns has widespread support in New Zealand, but her government has faced criticism over its vaccination progress, among the slowest in the OECD.

Elimination will continue to be New Zealand's strategy until majority of its population is vaccinated, Ardern said.

"No one wants to use lockdowns for ever... that's not our intention," Ardern said. "But while we vaccinate, elimination is the goal." About 80% of the population has yet to be fully vaccinated. The government said 3 million doses have been administered so far and a record 87,000 people were vaccinated in the past 24 hours.

However, the health ministry said in a statement later on Tuesday that it would not be unexpected to see a rise in daily case numbers at this stage of the outbreak and at its peak last year New Zealand had a daily total of 89 new cases.

Ardern has garnered global praise for stamping out COVID-19 in the country.

But, her reliance on strict border controls and snap lockdowns that have impacted the economy has been called into question amid the latest outbreak, which has occurred while few people have been vaccinated.

On Monday, Ardern extended the strict level 4 national lockdown by three days until midnight on Aug. 27 while Auckland will have restrictions in place at least until Aug. 31.

Finance Minister Grant Robertson said the government has enough funds to tackle the latest outbreak and the economy has been "incredibly resilient."

"A strong public health response is still the best economic response," he said in the news conference.