Sharjah24- Reuters: New Zealand reported record daily COVID-19 cases for the second time in three days on Thursday, as the Delta variant continued to spur a spike in infections in the country's biggest city, Auckland.
Authorities reported 102 new COVID-19 infections, of which 94 were in Auckland, taking the total number of cases in the current outbreak to 2,260. There have been 28 deaths in total since the pandemic began and 46 people are currently hospitalised because of the virus.
New Zealand had stayed largely virus-free for most of the pandemic until the Delta outbreak in mid-August that has spread across Auckland and neighbouring regions, prompting tight restrictions on some 1.7 million Aucklanders that were extended further this week.
Authorities have said infections are likely to rise until vaccination rates accelerate and have urged people to get inoculated quickly - a call reiterated by deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson on Thursday.
"The bottom line ... is that the vaccine is key to keeping you, your family and your community safe," Robertson said at a news conference.
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