Auckland in lockdown... for one case

NEW Zealand’s largest city of Auckland went back i nto a seven-day lockdown last night – after the discovery of just ONE case of Covid.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said the city’s 1.7 million residents must stay at home except for essential shopping and work. Schools and other shops have been closed while entry in and out of the city has been restricted.

And the rest of the nation has gone into level two measures, which put some restrictions on the size of gatherings. It is a blow for Ms Ardern, who has been praised for tough policies that had successfully stamped out community spread.

The lockdown is the second to hit the city this month. It was previously shut down for three days after new cases of the more contagious variant first seen in Britain were discovered.

Ms Ardern said the l atest patient, a 20-year-old, first experienced symptoms early last week and could have infected others. He is believed to have gone to the gym while awaiting the results of a Covid test.