WELLINGTON, Sept 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) – New Zealand reported 23 new cases of COVID-19 today. Of the new cases, 20 were community infections in Auckland and three were identified at the border, Director-General of Health from the Ministry of Health, Ashley Bloomfield, said, at a press conference.
The number of community cases in the recent Delta variant COVID-19 community outbreak reached 922, including 905 in Auckland and 17 in Wellington, the ministry said.
There are currently 18 cases being treated in hospitals, including four in the intensive care unit, it added.
The country recorded 3,557 confirmed cases since the pandemic.
Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern, announced an additional vaccines purchase agreement with Denmark at today’s press conference.
The government secured an extra half a million doses of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines from Denmark, that will start arriving in New Zealand within days, said Ardern.
“These doses, along with the 275,000 doses purchased from Spain last week, provide an additional 775,000 to New Zealand’s vaccine supplies,” she added.
The extra vaccine supply will help the country keep the momentum of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
Ardern also encouraged everyone in New Zealand above the age of 12 to be vaccinated as soon as possible.
New Zealand’s largest city, Auckland, is under the COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown. The rest of the country is under Level 2 restrictions with indoor activities limited to 50 people.
The cabinet will make a decision on potential Alert Level changes tomorrow.
