Northland will stay at Alert Level 4 along with Auckland due to the recent positive case in Warkworth and the need for more contact tracing in the region, Jacinda Ardern has explained.
While all of New Zealand will move to Alert Level 3 on Tuesday at 11.59pm, Auckland and Northland will remain at level 4.
Ardern said Northland would remain at the strictest alert level also to limit potential movement of people Northbound. Under Alert Level 3 restrictions, travel is not permitted except for essential reasons and police will be bringing back border enforcements as they have done previously.
There is also concern an exposure site in Warkworth, while closed to the public, is a relatively large workplace.
“We want to be as careful as possible and I hope the good people of Northland understand why we want to move with care given those common transit routes.
“That is not to say that Northland and Auckland will continue to be treated in the same way in the long-term, that is unlikely,” Ardern said.
An update for Northland will be provided on Monday August 30th when Auckland's alert level is considered.
Ardern indicated the most likely scenario is that Auckland will remain at level 4 for another two weeks.
It comes as 70 new community cases were announced today, bringing the total number of cases to 347.
SHARE ME