Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 at 11.59pm, with the the rest of New Zealand moving to Level 1.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern made the announcement today, after three new community cases of Covid-19 were reported this afternoon.
“This is good news, apart from the cases that have emerged today, all results of close and casual contacts of the initial three cases have come back negative," Ardern told media.
"We don't have a widespread but rather a small chain of transmission which is manageable via testing procedures."
Auckland dropping to Covid-19 Alert Level 2 from midnight tonight. (Source: Other)
Ardern said they "absolutely stand by the decision to move to Level 3", especially in light of it being the more transmissible variant.
The levels will be reviewed at Monday's Cabinet meeting.
However, she said Aucklanders needed to follow Level 2 rules as there were possibilities of more cases.
The move down alert levels is being welcomed by businesses and event organisers. (Source: Other)
Ardern said the definition of Level 2 was that “Covid-19 is contained, but there is a risk of community transmission".
“As you’ve heard, there will be some exceptions,” Ardern said – which included Papatoetoe High School students and teachers who need to return a negative Covid-19 test before returning to school.
She said it was their plan not to use alert levels to control Covid-19 if it was managed.
During the press conference, it was announced that a further member of the household of the two new cases tested positive for Covid-19.
Chris Hipkins’ announcement comes just hours before Jacinda Ardern is set to decide if the region will remain in lockdown. (Source: Other)
Director of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the person had been in isolation during their infectious period.
They have identified several places of interest of the new cases that would be uploaded of the Ministry of Health website.
“The possibility of finding new cases was something we prepared for,” Dr Bloomfield said.
The region moves out of Level 3 at 11.59pm tonight, February 17. (Source: Other)
Papatoetoe High School will remain closed and reopen on February 22.
All students and staff will be expected to return a negative Covid-19 test before going back.
There were more than 17,000 Covid-19 swabs taken yesterday.
On Sunday Ardern announced Auckland would move to Alert Level 3 while the rest of the country to Alert Level 2 from 11.59pm that day, for at least three days. It came after three community Covid-19 cases were found over the weekend.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins told the Health Select Committee today the additional two Covid-19 cases comprised of a close contact of the young woman who attends Papatoetoe High School and was one the three original cases, as well her brother.
Director of Health Ashley Bloomfield said "one of them (is) a classmate of the original case, as such was being treated as a close contact, so therefore was isolating as were family members".
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