New Zealand scrambles to trace cluster, reporting 14 new virus cases | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Tuesday
June 06, 2023

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • World+Biz
  • Sports
  • Features
    • Book Review
    • Brands
    • Earth
    • Explorer
    • Fact Check
    • Family
    • Food
    • Game Reviews
    • Good Practices
    • Habitat
    • Humour
    • In Focus
    • Luxury
    • Mode
    • Panorama
    • Pursuit
    • Wealth
    • Wellbeing
    • Wheels
  • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Subscribe
    • Videos
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • COVID-19
    • Games
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Podcast
    • Quiz
    • Tech
    • Trial By Trivia
    • Magazine
  • বাংলা
TUESDAY, JUNE 06, 2023
New Zealand scrambles to trace cluster, reporting 14 new virus cases

Coronavirus chronicle

Reuters
13 August, 2020, 08:15 am
Last modified: 13 August, 2020, 11:50 am

Related News

  • Earthquake of magnitude 6.2 strikes New Zealand's Auckland Islands
  • Six dead in New Zealand hostel fire
  • New Zealand ships its last livestock as ban takes effect
  • Backlash ends New Zealand children's feral cat-killing competition
  • Australia, New Zealand sign army cooperation deal

New Zealand scrambles to trace cluster, reporting 14 new virus cases

Ardern reimposed tight movement restrictions in Auckland and social distancing measures across the rest of the country on Wednesday, echoing her early response to the pandemic, which was praised for its apparent effectiveness

Reuters
13 August, 2020, 08:15 am
Last modified: 13 August, 2020, 11:50 am
Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern speaks during the Bloomberg Global Business Forum in New York City, New York, US, September 25, 2019/ Reuters
Prime Minister of New Zealand Jacinda Ardern speaks during the Bloomberg Global Business Forum in New York City, New York, US, September 25, 2019/ Reuters

New Zealand officials were scrambling to trace the source of an outbreak of the coronavirus, reporting 14 new cases on Thursday, as long queues of people formed to escape a renewed lockdown in the country's biggest city or be tested for the virus.

The discovery of four infected family members in Auckland two days ago shocked a country that had not recorded a case of Covid-19 for more than three months, raising some criticism of the government's handling of the crisis.

New Zealand announced on Thursday that there were 13 new cases in the community, and one overseas arrival who was in quarantine, bringing the total number of active cases to 36.

New Zealand could delay election after virus return

"We can see the seriousness of the situation we are in," Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in a televised media conference. "It's being dealt with in an urgent but calm and methodical way."

Ardern reimposed tight movement restrictions in Auckland and social distancing measures across the rest of the country on Wednesday, echoing her early response to the pandemic, which was praised for its apparent effectiveness.

Ardern noted that experience showed "things will get worse before they get better", and more cases were likely to be reported in coming days.

"Once again we are reminded of how tricky this virus is and how easily it can spread," she said. "Going hard and early is still the best course of action."

However, doubts over the origin of the latest cases have raised some questions about that strategy.

Officials reported on Thursday that three more people at refrigerator storage facility, where one of the family members worked, had tested positive.

Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said health officials were getting "closer every hour" to finding the patient zero of the outbreak.

"We are working flat out to do the contact-tracing we need to do and trace back to find out what the source of this infection is," Bloomfield told Newstalk ZB radio.

Bloomfield raised the possibility on Wednesday that the virus had arrived in New Zealand via freight, given one of the infected family members works in a cool store that takes imported frozen goods from overseas.

New Zealand locks down all nursing homes after virus return

On Thursday, he said that was considered "a low possibility", but did not detail other potential sources.

Ardern said it was a positive sign that all the new 13 cases were linked back to the infected family, either via work or broader family connections. All were being transferred into quarantine facilities.

Some prominent local health experts suggested it was more likely the virus had been quietly spreading in Auckland for weeks, infecting potentially dozens of people.

Residents of Auckland, home to around 1.7 million people, were given just hours to prepare for the return to level 3 restrictions on Wednesday, requiring people to stay at home unless for essential trips.

People in the city reported waiting hours to be tested for the virus, according to local media, and there was a rush to supermarkets to stock up on essentials.

The rest of the country was placed back into slightly looser level 2 restrictions. The restrictions will initially remain in place until Friday, when Ardern will announce the next steps.

With an election scheduled just weeks away, Ardern was facing criticism from the major opposition party for the decision to resume lockdown measures.

The NZ National Party also wants the September election to be pushed back to November. Ardern has said she will make a decision on the poll before Monday.

Top News / World+Biz

Coronavirus / New Zealand

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • BB instructs banks to speed up payments owed to airlines
    BB instructs banks to speed up payments owed to airlines
  • Photo: PID
    Electricity situation, inflation two biggest reasons for people's suffering: PM
  • Fakhrul discusses election, campaign processes with US ambassador
    Fakhrul discusses election, campaign processes with US ambassador

MOST VIEWED

  • Covid is no longer global health emergency: WHO
    Covid is no longer global health emergency: WHO
  • Federal police officers stand guard near the house of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, during a search operation at his home, in Brasilia, Brazil, 3 May, 2023. REUTERS/Adriano Machado
    Bolsonaro home raided, phone seized in Brazil vaccine records probe
  • World Health Organization logo is reflected in a drop on a syringe needle in this illustration photo taken March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration//File Photo
    Covid here to stay but moving out of emergency phase: WHO
  • India's active case count now stands at 3.90 per cent. ( HT file Photo)
    India reports 12,591 new Covid cases today, 20% more than yesterday
  • People queue up outside a quick test centre to take their coronavirus disease (Covid-19) antigen rapid tests, in Singapore September 21, 2021. Photo :Reuters
    Singapore witnesses new Covid wave: ‘Cases are mostly mild’
  • India's active case count now stands at 3.90 per cent. ( HT file Photo)
    India logs 5,676 new Covid cases, active infections cross 37,000-mark

Related News

  • Earthquake of magnitude 6.2 strikes New Zealand's Auckland Islands
  • Six dead in New Zealand hostel fire
  • New Zealand ships its last livestock as ban takes effect
  • Backlash ends New Zealand children's feral cat-killing competition
  • Australia, New Zealand sign army cooperation deal

Features

TBS Illustration

From graphic eyes to glass skin: 5 viral beauty trends of 2023

3h | Mode
Photo: Courtesy

Stride: Embracing affordable, inclusive, and heritage-inspired fashion

7h | Mode
Seba Prokashoni after QaziDa

Seba Prokashoni after QaziDa

10h | Panorama
Illustration: TBS

How to retain brains in the country

9h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

Zlatan Ibrahimovic retires from football

Zlatan Ibrahimovic retires from football

1h | TBS SPORTS
Controversial referee Lahoz departs after receiving a guard of honour

Controversial referee Lahoz departs after receiving a guard of honour

1h | TBS SPORTS
What will happen if Payra thermal power plant is closed?

What will happen if Payra thermal power plant is closed?

1h | TBS Stories
Eco-friendly bags are being made from corn starch in Rajshahi

Eco-friendly bags are being made from corn starch in Rajshahi

1h | TBS Stories

Most Read

1
bKash denied permission to pay $4.10 lakh for Argentina football partnership
Banking

bKash denied permission to pay $4.10 lakh for Argentina football partnership

2
Photo: Noor-A-Alam/TBS
Splash

The Night Dhaka did NOT vibe with Anuv Jain

3
Boeing offers Biman its latest 787-10 Dreamliner
Bangladesh

Boeing offers Biman its latest 787-10 Dreamliner

4
Country's first floating solar power plant connected to national grid
Energy

Country's first floating solar power plant connected to national grid

5
Photo: TBS
Environment

Green space in Dhaka North declines 66% in 3 decades: Study

6
Photo: TBS
Energy

2nd unit of Payra power plant to shut down over coal shortage

EMAIL US
[email protected]
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2023
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - [email protected]

For advertisement- [email protected]