Auckland

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced a nationwide lockdown after the country confirmed the first locally transmitted COVID-19 since February.

Addressing a press conference Tuesday (local time), Ardern said that authorities were assuming it was the contagious Delta variant, although genome sequencing is still underway, CNN reported. "New Zealand will be under the strictest level lockdown level for the next three days starting from 11:59 pm Tuesday (local time)," Ardern said adding that under level four lockdown, everyone must stay home and businesses are closed aside for essential services such as supermarkets and pharmacies.

New Zealand was last under its most serious lockdown level a year ago, she added.

"We are one of the last countries in the world to have the Delta variant in our community," Ardern said adding "We're in the position to learn from experience overseas, and what actions work, and what actions don't work."

Quoting Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield, CNN further reported that an unvaccinated 58-year-old man in the country's largest city Auckland tested positive for the coronavirus. The man had travelled to other parts of the country and had no obvious link to the border.

On Wednesday, meanwhile, Xinhua reported that New Zealand confirmed four new Delta variant cases, including one fully-vaccinated nurse at Auckland Hospital, all linked to the first confirmed Delta case in the country, according to the authorities.