New Zealand COVID-19 Delta outbreak spreading rapidly as cases jump

FILE PHOTO: People jog past a social distancing sign on the first day of New Zealand's new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) safety measure that mandates wearing of a mask on public transport, in Auckland, New Zealand, August 31, 2020. REUTERS/Fiona Goodall/File Photo

WELLINGTON (Reuters) -New Zealand on Tuesday recorded its highest increase in COVID-19 cases since April 2020, as authorities warned this current outbreak of the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus was like dealing with a whole new virus.

The South Pacific nation's virus-free run since February ended last week after an outbreak of the Delta variant erupted in Auckland, New Zealand's largest city, and quickly spread to the capital Wellington.