New Zealand says fall in COVID-19 cases shows Delta lockdown working

WELLINGTON: New Zealand reported a drop in new COVID-19 infections on Thursday, which authorities said was a sign that a nationwide lockdown was helping to limit spread of the infectious Delta variant.

Barring a few cases in February, New Zealand had been largely free of coronavirus until the Delta outbreak prompted Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to order the snap lockdown last month. Authorities reported 49 new infections in the outbreak epicentre of Auckland, a fall from 75 on Wednesday, taking the tally to 736.