It is confirmed that two of the three new cases of Covid-19 that shut down the New Zealand city of Auckland are the variant of the virus first detected in the UK.
The three local Covid-19 cases announced Sunday are a mother, father and daughter from the same South Auckland home, Health Director General Dr Ashley Bloomfield said at a news conference on Sunday. The Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, said one of the three is working in a laundry facility at the airlines.
Auckland Mayor Phil Goff told CNN authorities that the individual’s job may be “the connection” to the virus.
These cases prompted authorities to approve a three-day closure for all of Auckland, a city of about 1.5 million people and the largest population center in the country, starting Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
“We’ve dealt with more transmissible versions, mutations of Covid-19. We want to be very prudent. That’s why we’ve taken this very prudent approach,” Ardern said. “What we want people to do is stay home. So for the next 72 hours, if you’re in Auckland, please stay home.”
Goff said New Zealand has found the success contained in the virus when authorities “go strong and go fast”.
“The government made the decision, in consultation with Auckland, that this time we should respond in the same way,” he said. “So after a good weekend watching the America’s Cup yacht races and people enjoying the sun, the beaches, the parks and the festivals, we’re suddenly in a 72-hour close.”
Goff said 6,000 to 7,000 people will now be tested for the virus, and if those tests come back clean, authorities could lift the new strict measures.
No new cases were reported on Monday, the country’s health ministry said in a statement