New Zealand has become the latest country to confirm a Delta variant outbreak. The country’s first community COVID-19 case in six months is due to the Delta variant. Genome sequencing has revealed that the case is linked to the increasing outbreak in Australia, stated Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

The country announced a snap lockdown on Tuesday night, hours after a COVID-19 case was confirmed. On Wednesday, authorities stated that six more positive cases have been detected, all of which are linked to the first case. One of these new cases worked at a hospital in Auckland.

This is the first time that New Zealand has confirmed Delta variant in the community… (CNN, August 18, 2021)