New Zealand Declares National Lockdown Over One COVID-19 Case

New Zealand has announced a lockdown after a man tested positive for COVID, the first case in six months.

The case was detected in Auckland, which will be in lockdown for a week, while the rest of the country will be in lockdown for three days.

Authorities say they are working on the assumption that the new case was the delta variant.

Just around 20% of its population has been fully vaccinated.

Coromandel, a coastal town where the infected person had visited, will be in lockdown for seven days too.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern disclosed that schools, offices and businesses will be closed while only essential services will remain operational.