New Zealand coronavirus cases hit record, health authorities push vaccination as way out

Gulf Today Report

New Zealand recorded its highest number of daily coronavirus cases since the start of the pandemic on Tuesday as a Delta-variant outbreak that dashed the nation's "Covid Zero" hopes showed no signs of easing.

The country counted its most new coronavirus cases of the pandemic as an outbreak in its largest city grew and officials urged vaccinations as a way out of Auckland’s two-month lockdown.

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Health authorities announced 94 new virus cases, exceeding the previous daily record of 89 set in April last year during the first wave of Covid-19 infections.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern speaks to the media. File photo

Most of the new cases were in Auckland, but seven were found in the nearby Waikato district.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said lockdown rule-breakers were contributing to the spread of infections and noted that many of the new cases had been detected among younger people.

"I know the highs and lows of cases is incredibly hard on people, particularly those in Tamaki Makaurau," Ardern said, using the Indigenous Maori name for Auckland. "I just wanted to reinforce again that we're not powerless. We do have the ability to keep cases as low as we can.”

The centre-left leader is set to unveil a new strategy on Friday that will allow for greater freedoms once vaccination targets have been reached.

A COVID-19 Delta survivor urges people to get vaccinated in suburban Auckland, New Zealand. AP

Around two-thirds of the eligible population have now been fully inoculated.

Ardern has also embarked on an all-out effort to get people vaccinated. That's included a televised "Vaxathon” festival on Saturday which saw a record 130,000 people getting shots, more than 2% of the New Zealand's population of 5 million.

Ardern has promised to outline a path out of lockdown for Auckland based on vaccination numbers.