New Zealand is rolling out new COVID-19 restrictions as the country works to prevent an outbreak in cases driven by the omicron variant.

The new restrictions come after New Zealand reported nine new cases in the Nelson/Marlborough region, all of which were the omicron variant.

The cases were among a family that flew to Auckland on Jan.

New Zealand largely tamed the spread of the delta variant, with roughly 30 new cases reported per day, according to The Associated Press.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern emphasized on Thursday that the country would not impose strict lockdowns to stop the spread of the omicron variant.