New Zealand reports first locally transmitted Covid case in three weeks

News of the fresh community case comes hours after PM Jacinda Ardern swept to landslide election win, largely on the back of her govt’s successful response to Covid.

A pedestrian wearing a protective mask pushes a cart in Auckland, New Zealand due to Covid lockdown | Brendon O'Hagan/Bloomberg

Wellington: New Zealand has reported a case of Covid-19 in the community for the first time in three weeks.

An Auckland man tested positive for the virus yesterday after developing symptoms the previous day, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said Sunday in Auckland. People the man had contact with in the days prior when he may have been infectious have been put in isolation.

“This case has been caught early and the risk of onward transmission has been quickly contained,” Bloomfield told reporters.

News of the fresh community case comes hours after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern swept to a landslide victory in a general election, largely on the back of her government’s successful response to Covid-19. Her elimination strategy has seen community outbreaks contained twice, most recently a cluster of 179 cases in largest city Auckland that was eliminated in early October.

Bloomfield said he told the Health Minister about the new case late yesterday.- Bloomberg