A potential link has been discovered in how the Delta outbreak of Covid-19 in Auckland managed to make its way into the Waikato.
Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins was asked whether any connections had been made at Thursday's 1pm briefing in Wellington
Hipkins had limited information at his disposal but admitted officials did have a potential link.
"What I do know and the feedback that I've had is that it was a person who travelled into Auckland and back out again and it was one person," Hipkins said.
"I don't have more details than that."
Hipkins said he had no further information about the person, including whether they had any gang affiliations.
The Waikato region currently has 22 cases after a further five cases were announced on Thursday afternoon by Director of Public Health Dr Caroline McElnay.
The growth in case numbers has seen the Government extend the Alert Level 3 boundaries in the region after cases outside the existing boundaries were discovered on Wednesday.
The boundary will now include the districts of Waitomo (including Te Kuiti), Waipā, and Ōtorohanga. They will move to Alert Level 3 from 11.59pm Thursday.
The boundary in the west will follow the coast to Mokau, Pureora Forest Park in the east, then include Te Awamutu, Karāpiro, and Cambridge in the north to meet the areas already in Alert Level 3.
Areas already in Alert Level 3 include Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Huntly, Ngāruawāhia, and Hamilton City
Hamilton Airport is also included in the extended boundary. Restrictions on travel by air will be in place.
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