New Zealand registers 11 new Delta cases of COVID-19 in community

All cases have or are being transferred safely to a managed isolation facility under strict infection prevention and control procedures, including the use of full PPE, according to the Ministry of Health.

Of the 11 new cases, eight are in Auckland and three in Wellington, the first time this community outbreak seen out of Auckland. The three in Wellington had recently travelled to Auckland and visited a location of interest there, said a ministry statement.

Among the 31 total cases, 19 cases are now confirmed as part of the Auckland outbreak, with the remaining 12 under investigation to confirm the linkage to the outbreak. Initial assessment shows most cases have a plausible link, it said.

The Auckland cluster is linked to the Sydney outbreak in Australia - a returnee from Sydney who arrived in Auckland on a flight on Aug. 7 tested positive of Delta COVID-19.

Read: Australia fights COVID-19: Curfew imposed in parts of Sydney

Five of the newly reported cases on Friday are from family bubbles of previously confirmed cases, according to the ministry.

COVID-19 was also detected in wastewater samples collected on Wednesday from the Waitakere area in Auckland, it said, adding testing is in progress for a number of samples.

More higher risk locations have been identified by public health staff as they are currently engaged in contact tracing work, it said.

New Zealand has moved to the top level 4 national lockdown from midnight Tuesday after the first identified Delta COVID-19 case in the Auckland community.

The alert level is being reviewed and a decision will be announced later Friday on whether to extend the current lockdown.

Under the Alert Level 4 lockdown, businesses and schools are closed except for essential ones such as supermarkets, pharmacies and service stations.