Auckland to go into new seven-day Coronavirus lockdown

For the second time in a month, the New Zealand Government has announced that Auckland is to go into a seven-day COVID-19 lockdown.

Restrictions in New Zealand’s largest city are to be imposed after single COVID case of unknown origin was recorded

New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern has today stated that Auckland’s latest seven-day lockdown will commence from early morning on Sunday, coming two weeks after the city’s nearly 2 million residents were plunged into a snap three-day lockdown when a family of three were diagnosed with the more transmissible UK variant of coronavirus.

With health officials unable to immediately confirm how the person, who had visited several public venues, got infected Prime Minister Ardern this morning advised “based on this, we are in the unfortunate but necessary position to protect Aucklanders again.”

The lockdown, with level 3 restrictions, will allow people to leave home only for essential shopping and essential work, Ardern said. Public venues will remain closed. Restrictions in the rest of the country will be tightened to level 2 restrictions, including limits on public gatherings.

New Zealand Cricket has already announced that a Twenty20 cricket clash between New Zealand and Australia due to have been played in Auckland next Friday, will now be played in Wellington without crowds.

The new restrictions again complicated the America’s Cup Event yacht race scheduled to start on 6th March in Auckland Harbour. Event organisers said on Twitter it was working “through the implications”.

Ticketek New Zealand has subsequently advised that the Hamilton and both Napier concerts on the Crowded House tour will be rescheduled to late March.

Its announcement on twitter advises “we encourage you to hold on to your tickets, we will announce new show dates in the a few days.”