New Zealand health minister David Clark resigns after series of coronavirus lockdown blunders

New Zealand's health minister has resigned after making a series of personal blunders during the coronavirus pandemic.

Dr David Clark had earlier described himself as an "idiot" for breaking the nation's strict lockdown measures twice.

Last week he appeared to blame the health official who has led the country's response to the pandemic for border lapses while effectively refusing to take any responsibility himself, generating an angry reaction from the public.

Dr Clark said he had put all his energy into the job as he announced his resignation.

He said: "But it has become increasingly clear to me that my continuation in the role is distracting from the government's overall response to Covid-19."

While New Zealand's health response has been praised around the world after it managed to eliminate community transmission of the virus, Dr Clark has been widely ridiculed.

His latest gaffe came last week when he appeared to place the blame for allowing dozens of returning travellers to leave quarantine without being tested with the director-general of health, Ashley Bloomfield.

Dr Bloomfield, who was standing behind Dr Clark while he spoke, appeared stung by the criticism as he frowned and looked away in a video captured by local outlet Newshub and viewed tens of thousands of times.

Dr Bloomfield has been the country's trusted medical expert and public face of the virus response - similar to doctor Anthony Fauci in the US. Dr Bloomfield had also stayed in the capital Wellington throughout the crisis, while Dr Clark retreated to his home in Dunedin in the South Island.

Dr Clark was heavily criticised in April after defying the country's strict lockdown measures.

Dr Clark was caught going out for a mountain bike ride when the rest of the country had been told to stay indoors. He later admitted - only when he realised he was to be quizzed over his biking jaunt - that he drove his family 12 miles to the beach for a walk.

He said at the time: "I've been an idiot, and I understand why people will be angry with me."

Dr Clark had responsibilities for the quarantine restrictions stripped from him last month over the testing fiasco. New Zealand had put in place a 14-day system where citizens and residents returning to the country are placed into quarantine for 14 days with two tests. It emerged dozens of people had left quarantine without the required tests.

Prime Minister Jacinda Arden said then that she would normally have fired him but the country could not afford massive disruption to the health sector as it fought Covid-19. Ms Ardern drew criticism for not firing Dr Clark over the lockdown advice breaches and then the quarantine fiasco.

However, on Thursday she accepted his resignation, saying in a statement it was "essential our health leadership has the confidence of the New Zealand public".

She added: "As David has said to me, the needs of the team must come before him as an individual."

Dr Clark said on Thursday he intends to remain in parliament as a backbencher.

The Dr is an academic rather than medical qualification.

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