SYDNEY (AUSTRALIA) – New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Wednesday that the country must brace for a second wave of coronavirus outbreaks in the wake of the pandemic surging across the world. However, the elimination strategy will not be dropped if there are cases of community transmission, she added.
The prime minister said the pandemic was “exploding” outside the country and countries that were models in the fight against the virus are now experiencing community outbreaks.
The government has come out with a new framework on how it would tackle the virus in the event of new cases. However, elimination would remain the central strategy.
“No system is 100% fool proof and around the world we are seeing even the most rigorous measures being tested by the virus,” she said in a media briefing.
New Zealand reported community transmission two-and-a-half months ago. So far, there have been 22 fatalities and 1,200 confirmed cases in the country as of Wednesday.
The country has pledged to eliminate the novel coronavirus.
On the other hand, authorities in Australia’s most populous state of New South Wales said elimination is not possible any longer because of the fresh outbreaks following the easing of lockdown curbs.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field
