New Zealand records 62 new cases of Covid-19 amid Delta outbreak

New Zealand has reported another huge spike in Covid-19 infections, with the nation’s latest outbreak climbing by 62 cases.

The Delta variant is well and truly taking hold in New Zealand, with the nation recording another 62 new cases of locally acquired Covid-19 in its latest outbreak.

The latest surge takes the total number of cases in the outbreak – which began last week and genome sequencing linked to a returned traveller from Sydney in hotel quarantine – to 210, after 41 cases were reported yesterday.

Of the 210 cases, 198 are located in Auckland, while the remaining 12 are based in Wellington.

While infection numbers are continuing to climb, though, New Zealand’s Director-General of Health, Ashley Bloomfield, told reporters today that they aren’t expected.

RELATED: Follow our live NSW coronavirus coverage

New Zealand has reported another huge spike in Covid-19 infections, with the nation’s latest outbreak climbing by 62 cases. Picture: Mark Mitchell – Pool/Getty Images

“While this is steady growth, it is not exponential,” Dr Bloomfield said.

“At present, the majority of the links between cases are within households or workplaces.

“There are some people who are identified as having been at a location of interest.

“The vast majority of cases, we have been able to identify the link.”

The whole of New Zealand will remain under lockdown until at least midnight this Friday, with Auckland to stay under stage four restrictions until August 31 at the earliest.

RELATED: Covid denier’s ‘horrible’ virus symptoms

The whole of New Zealand will remain under lockdown until at least midnight this Friday, with Auckland to stay under stage four restrictions until August 31. Picture: Hagen Hopkins/Getty Images

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told reporters on Monday that New Zealand is “still very much in the thick of this outbreak”.

“We don’t yet believe we’ve reached the peak of this outbreak or necessarily the edges of it,” Ms Ardern said.

“For now, absolutely, elimination is the strategy, particularly where we vaccinate our people going through into the year,” Ms Ardern said.