Wellington: After its successful contain of coronavirus cases, New Zealand announced its first locally transmitted coronavirus infections after more than 100 days on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said that four cases had been detected in a single family in Auckland from an unknown source.
“After 102 days, we have our first cases of COVID-19 outside of managed isolation or quarantine facilities… we have all worked incredibly hard to prevent this scenario,” she told the country in a televised address.
“We have also planned and prepared for it.”
The country had registered only 22 deaths in a total population of 22 million and no community transmission was recorded since May 1.
Lockdown will be imposed in Auckland, the country’s largest city, for at least three days from Wednesday and some social distancing restrictions will be reintroduced in the rest of the country.