
No new Covid-19 cases were reported in New Zealand yesterday, a positive sign after Auckland -- the country's most populous city -- went into lockdown because a family of three tested positive for the UK variant.
Authorities decided to mandate that most people in Auckland stay home for three days and test thousands of residents to ensure the contagious variant of the coronavirus was not spreading within the community.
More than 15,000 swabs were taken nationally Monday. None of the 5,818 processed came back positive, Director-General of Health Dr. Ashely Bloomfield said.
Bloomfield said officials are still investigating the source of transmission for the couple and their child. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said Monday one of the trio works in a facility handling laundry for airlines, and Auckland Mayor Phil Goff told CNN that authorities believe the individual's employment may be "the connection" to the virus.
Close contacts of the family, including colleagues of the father, did not test positive. Fourteen of 36 close contacts from the child's high school tested positive.
More results are expected to continue to come in during the day Tuesday.