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New Zealand announces return of COVID-19 after 102 days

New Zealand announced its first locally transmitted coronavirus infections more than 100 days on Tuesday and issued a stay-at-home lockdown order for the country’s largest city.

After receiving global praise for its success containing the virus, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said four cases had been detected in a single family in Auckland from an unknown source.

Until Tuesday, the World Health Organisation had hailed the country as an example to others for having “successfully eliminated community transmission”.

New Zealand reported just 22 deaths in a population of 22 million and had not recorded community transmission since May 1.

As a result, New Zealanders had been enjoying a near-normal lifestyle with no social distancing and spectators allowed at sports and cultural events.

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