New Zealand: Concerns rise after fresh cluster causes hike in coronavirus cases

A fresh coronavirus cluster in Auckland has led to 17 coronavirus cases, days after New Zealand marked record 102 days without a single case of the deadly virus. 

National health chief Ashley Bloomfield on Wednesday said all 13 new COVID-19 infections are linked to a single family whose four family members tested positive on Tuesday. 

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The sudden rise in the coronavirus cases could lead to an extension of a three-day lockdown in Auckland imposed on Wednesday. 

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The remaining part of the country was put under slightly looser level 2 restrictions. The new curbs will remain in place until Friday when Ardern will announce the next set of measures. 

The health chief said a student studying in one of New Zealand's largest high schools has also been tested positive for COVID-19. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she expected more cases linked to the current spike, adding that all cases were limited to a single cluster in Auckland is an encouraging trend. 

"As we all learned with our first experience with COVID, once you identify a cluster, it grows before it slows," Ardern said in a televised address.

Highlighting that the situation is "serious", the prime minister said, "it is being dealt with in an urgent but calm and methodical way."

Bloomfield said "it's too early" to decide on lockdown extension and will depend on the developments in the next 24 hours.