WELLINGTON, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- New Zealand reported 71 new Delta variant cases of COVID-19 in the community on Thursday, bringing the total number of confirmed infections in the country's community outbreak to 1,790.
All 71 of the new infections were recorded in the largest city Auckland, Director of Public Health Caroline McElnay told a press conference.
Thirty-three community cases are being treated in hospitals, including five in intensive care units (ICUs) or high dependency units (HDUs), McElnay said.
There are 1,665 cases that have been clearly epidemiologically linked to another case or a sub-cluster, and a further 102 cases for which links are yet to be fully established, she said.
New Zealand also reported one new case identified at the border in recent returnees. The case has remained in quarantine in Auckland.
The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand since the start of the pandemic stands at 4,472, according to the health ministry. Enditem