New Zealand delays elections in Auckland by four weeks after COVID-19 outbreak

New Zealand Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern has decided to delay New Zealand’s national elections by four weeks due to the latest coronavirus outbreak in Auckland. The announcement was made on August 17, 2020.

The elections were earlier scheduled for September 19 but will now be held on October 17, 2020. Under New Zealand’s law, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has the option of delaying the elections for up to about two months.

Before the latest known outbreak, New Zealand had gone 102 days without any known transmission of COVID-19. Life had returned to normal for most of the people and stadiums, restaurants, and schools were opened without any fear of infection.

Elections delayed in New Zealand:

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern while informing about the delay in elections mentioned that while making her decision, she first called the leaders of all the political parties who are represented in the parliament to get their views.

She added that it was important to ensure that we have a well-run- elections that will give all the voters the best chance to receive all the information they need about the candidates and the parties and delivers certainty for the future.

Opposition parties in New Zealand had been requesting a delay after a virus outbreak in Auckland prompted the government to impose a two-week lockdown in the city which halted the election campaigning.

Prime Minister Ardern also informed that she wouldn’t consider delaying the elections again, no matter what happens with the outbreak. Opinion polling has indicated the win for Ardern’s Labour Party for a second term in office.

The latest outbreak of COVID-19 in New Zealand:

Before the latest outbreak, New Zealand had restored itself into the old pattern as it had gone 102 days without any cases of COVID-19 and the only known cases during the time were travelers who have been quarantined at the border.

As per the officials, the virus has been reintroduced to New Zealand from abroad but they yet haven’t been able to figure out how it happened. The outbreak in Auckland has now grown to 49 infections, it is believed that the cases are all connected giving hope that the virus has not been spreading beyond the cluster.