‘Please be strong, be kind and unite’: Jacinda Ardern issues rallying cry to New Zealanders to self-isolate and help elderly neighbours
- Jacinda Ardern introduced a new raft of measures to combat COVID-19 outbreak
- A four-level alert system was imposed to allow for improved communication
- New Zealand is currently at COVID-19 alert level two – meaning reduce contact
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
Jacinda Ardern has introduced a four-level alert system to allow for improved communication of public health measures as coronavirus spreads in New Zealand.
The prime minister addressed the nation in a press conference on Saturday morning after the number of COVID-19 cases in the country jumped to 53 overnight.
Ms Ardern asked New Zealanders to work at home if possible and urged them to cancel all non-essential domestic travel.
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Like her Australian counterpart Scott Morrison, Ms Ardern appealed to Kiwis’ sense of national pride.
‘We may not have experienced anything like this in our lifetimes,’ she said.
‘But, we know how to rally, and we know how to look after one another and right now what could be more important than that?
‘Thank you for all that you’re about to do. Please, be strong, be kind and unite against COVID-19.’
New Zealand is currently at level two on the alert system meaning there has been a transmission from important cases.
This means borders are effectively closed, there will be a mass gathering clampdown, limit non-essential travel, encourage work from home, high-risk groups urged to stay home.
New Zealand may finally have recorded its first cases of community transmission of COVID-19, changing the country’s response to the pandemic.
Until Saturday, New Zealand had been one of the few developed countries not to experience transmissions within the community; a sign the virus could be set for a local outbreak.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield confirmed 14 new positive tests for the virus – of which two have no clear link to overseas travel – bringing the country’s tally to 53 cases.
‘We always knew cases apparently not linked to imported cases would happen and we are prepared,’ he said.
The government will implement a four-stage alert level to allow Kiwis to more easily understand the virus’ spread in the community, with corresponding public health measures.
Dr Bloomfield said two key planks underpinned New Zealand’s public health response.
The first is contact tracing, where any people to have had contact with confirmed cases are placed in self-isolation for a fortnight.
The second is the importance of maintaining physical distancing while in the community.