New Zealand military to oversee borders after virus bungle
17 June, 2020
Primary Minister Jacinda Ardern ordered the military to oversee New Zealand's borders Wednesday after a quarantine bungle that allowed COVID-19 back into the country.
A 24-day run without innovative cases was broken on Tuesday when it emerged two females who recently arrived from Britain were allowed out of quarantine early without being tested for the virus, even though one had mild symptoms.
The pair were eventually swabbed and became infected, but only after they made a 650-kilometer road-trip from Auckland to Wellington to see a dying relative.
Ardern said it was "absolutely nonsensical" these were not tested earlier and it had been clear border controls would have to be tightened to make sure similar failures were not repeated.
She said assistant chief of defense Digby Webb have been appointed to oversee border quarantine operations and had been given usage of military personnel and logistical expertise.
"My view is that we need the rigor, we need the confidence, we need the discipline that the military can offer," Ardern told reporters.
Health Minister David Clark said New Zealand had successfully "eliminated COVID-19" prior to most current imported cases, after recording only 22 deaths in a population of five million.
The South Pacific nation the other day scrapped domestic social distancing measures, while maintaining strong border restrictions.
Ardern in Wednesday suspended this program that allowed the ladies to come to be released early from quarantine in compassionate grounds, saying New Zealand's successful virus response cannot be undermined.
She stressed that the ladies, who were visiting a dying relative, had done nothing wrong and complied with health protocols constantly.
The women remain in isolation as health officials scramble to check about 320 people they had connection with while in New Zealand.
Source: japantoday.com
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