New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said largest city Auckland will stay in lockdown four days longer than initially planned to ensure a community outbreak of Covid-19 is under control.
Auckland will exit lockdown at midnight on march. 20 rather than on Feb. 17, Ardern told reporters in Wellington on Monday. “These extra days are believed necessary to allow us to move down a level in Auckland, and stay down,” she said, referring to New Zealand’s covid alert level system.
In addition, the government will mandate face coverings on public transport including taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber at level 2 or higher. The new regulation is effective from March 12.
The Auckland cluster has increased to 74 cases and the original source remains a mystery.