(Rishitha Jaladi, Intern Journalist) New Zealand: Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced during a press conference on Monday that the election date had been moved back four weeks to October 17 and would not be moved again. It comes after the country recorded its first cases of COVID-19 in more than 100 days last week.
“I do not intend to change the election date again,” Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said. Participation of voters, ensuring a fair election, and certainty that the election is held in a timely way are all key considerations. Ardern delaying election is fine because it’s in accordance with New Zealand law. It’s good for the US too, to change election date if the US passes a law allowing that to happen. But that would need the approval of both House and Senate.
There are nine new community cases of COVID-19 in New Zealand today zero in managed isolation system (MIQ). Seven of the new cases have already been linked to the cold storage cluster. There are now four yet to be linked, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says. There are now 78 active cases, 58 of which are in the community.