New Zealand reports 102 new Covid Delta variant cases

Wellington, Oct 21 (IANS) New Zealand on Thursday reported 102 new cases of the Covid-19 Delta variant in the community, which increased the overall infection tally to 5,315.

Ninety-four of the new infections were recorded in the largest city of Auckland and eight in nearby Waikato, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield told a press conference.

Forty-six community cases are being treated in hospitals, including seven in intensive care units or high dependency units (HDUs), Xinhua news agency quoted Bloomfield as saying.

There are 2,028 cases that have been epidemiologically linked to another case or a sub-cluster, and a further 199 cases for which links are yet to be fully established, he said.

New Zealand also reported two new cases identified at the border in recent returnees.

The cases have remained in quarantine in Auckland.

Meanwhile, the country's death toll currently stands at 28.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Monday that Auckland and parts of Waikato will remain under the current Level 3 restrictions for another two weeks, and the rest of New Zealand will remain under Level 2.