There Is A Coronavirus Mutation Infection From The UK, New Zealand Announces A 3-Day Lockdown

JAKARTA - New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced a lockdown for the City of Auckland, New Zealand's largest city after the discovery of a case of infection with a new mutation of the coronavirus from England.

The lockdown of 2 million residents of Auckland was carried out after the discovery of three new cases of infection in the city. From tracing the genome, it was found that two of the three cases came from the B1.1.7 mutation which was first discovered in Britain last year.

"We were absolutely right to make the decision to be extra cautious because we assumed it would be one of the more transmissible mutations", Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Facebook Live on Monday, as reported by Reuters.

The Auckland lockdown is New Zealand's first in six months, following a forced early halt to the pandemic that eliminates much of the local transmission.

Prime Minister Ardern ordered a three-day lockdown in Auckland until February 17. Closing public places and prohibit all gatherings outside the home, except for weddings and funerals where as many as 10 people are allowed. Schools will remain open to children of important workers but others will be asked to stay at home.

New Zealand is known as the top-performing country in the index by Australia's Lowy Institute, out of nearly 100 countries based on coronavirus containment.

The new outbreak prompted Australia to suspend arrangements that allow New Zealanders to enter Australia without undergoing a 14-day hotel quarantine period.