New Zealand sees second-highest daily COVID-19 case count

New Zealand on Monday saw its second-worst day of daily COVID-19 infections since the pandemic began as the country reported 109 new cases, Reuters reported.

The majority of the new cases are in the country’s most populous city, Auckland, and New Zealand has been struggling to contain the highly contagious delta variant despite having imposed a strict lockdown for more than two months.

The number of total cases in the current outbreak is 2,681. Since the start of the pandemic, New Zealand has recorded just 28 COVID-19 deaths, and close to 90 percent of its population has received the first dose of the vaccine.

When New Zealand broke another record for daily infections last week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern told The Associated Press that she believes lockdown rule-breakers are responsible for the spread of the virus and that many young people are now falling ill.

Arden has repeatedly stated that 90 percent of New Zealanders will need to be fully vaccinated before the whole country can start loosening restrictions.

Her government has also proposed a two-tier system for citizens that will see unvaccinated citizens endure tighter restrictions, including being unable to use “close contact” businesses like restaurants, bars and gyms, according to The Telegraph.

“If you want summer … get vaccinated. If you don’t, there will be everyday things you will miss out on,” she said at a recent press conference.