Jacinda Ardern’s government has announced a new wave of Covid-19 measures in New Zealand.
The new measures will see increased availability of face masks and rapid tests.
Access to antiviral treatments is also being ramped up amid fears a new variant could cause hospitals to be overwhelmed in the coming weeks.
Current measures across the country mean that people are required to wear face masks in many indoor areas, including in shops and on public transport.
Jacinda Ardern
Reuters
The new measures have been implemented amid fears of a surge in infections
Danny Lawson
And Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield urged people to continue following those rules.
He said: “We’ve seen a drop in that use of masks and places like supermarkets, public transport and so on.
“So the first thing is reiterating for people that’s important.
“It should be like wearing a seatbelt.”
Mr Bloomfield, alongside Covid-19 minister Ayesha Verrall, said on Thursday that a total of 11,382 cases were discovered in the past 24 hours.
There was also 765 hospitalisations and 23 deaths reported during that period