New Zealand records 21 COVID-19 cases, plans vaccine swap deal

New Zealand has recorded 21 new COVID-19 cases as areas outside of Auckland prepare to leave lockdown.

Health workers at a COVID-19 testing station in Christchurch.

Health workers at a COVID-19 testing station in Christchurch. Source: AAP

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says New Zealand will complete an Australia-style swap deal for Pfizer vaccine this week.

New Zealand has seen a surge in vaccination rates over the past three weeks during the country's latest outbreak as Kiwis rush to inoculate themselves against COVID-19.

However, that surge of almost double previous vaccination rates means the country may have needed to slow its rollout this week to avoid a shortfall.
On Tuesday, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield announced 21 new cases.

That's a small increase from the previous three days, when health authorities reported 20 new cases.

"All the numbers are moving in the right direction which is reassuring," Dr Bloomfield said.

All of Tuesday's cases were identified in Auckland.

Dr Bloomfield also revealed 39 Kiwis are being treated in hospital, with six in intensive care and four on ventilators.

The new cases bring the total outbreak to 841 people, with 147 having recovered.

More than a week ago, Ms Ardern said she would announce her new strategy within a few days.

On Tuesday, she confirmed a "complex" deal which involved "extensive multi-party negotiations" will see extra vaccine arrive this month.
"The government quickly reached out to Pifzer and overseas partners (after the surge). These rapid negotiations have been taken place over the past two weeks," she said.

"They will enable us to continue that additional surge capacity through September."

Ms Ardern said the total doses arriving and the partner countries would come when contracts were signed.

NZ has spent three weeks in a national lockdown fighting the highly infectious Delta variant.

On Wednesday, the 3.4 million Kiwis who live outside the Auckland region will leave lockdown.

A lack of cases outside Auckland has given Ms Ardern's government confidence to shift alert levels from three to two as of at 11.59pm Tuesday.

Auckland will remain in a harsh level four lockdown for at least another week.


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2 min read
Published 7 September 2021 1:00pm
Updated 22 February 2022 6:53pm
Source: AAP, SBS



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