Jacinda Ardern has called the protest outside Parliament a "Covid camp", as The Ministry of Health says there are now 17 cases linked to the anti-mandate protest in Wellington.
The protest is in it's 21st day, with police calling for people to leave the site due to, among other reasons, "extremely poor sanitary conditions and the confirmed presence of Covid-19".
The Prime Minister called the protest site a "Covid camp" in her post-Cabinet address on Monday.
"I would point out that they are a part of the outbreak, we know that there are Covid cases connected to that occupation. It is a Covid camp.
"I would encourage no one to venture down to that area, because it is well-documented now that Covid cases have come from it," Ardern said.
The Ministry of Health says the true number of cases linked to the protest is likely to be much higher. (Source: 1News)
On Sunday a spokesperson for Regional Public Health said three cases connected to the protest have been hospitalised. Of these, two were hospitalised in the Wellington region, and one outside of the Wellington region.
In its daily case update on Monday, the ministry said, "due to reluctance by protesters to get a Covid-19 test, the true number of cases linked to the protest is likely to be much higher".
"Establishing accurate data on positive cases linked to the protest is a challenge, as we anticipate reluctance from some protesters being tested for Covid-19. As such, total figures are unlikely to be ever be known," Regional Public Health said on Sunday.
"For privacy reasons we are unable to provide any further information on cases connected to the protest at Parliament."
Wellingtonians are waiting in snaking long queues in order to secure rapid antigen testing kits.
It comes amid what police said on Sunday is aggressive behaviour from anti-mandate protesters directed at them.
“Aggressive behaviour from protesters, extremely poor sanitary conditions, the confirmed presence of Covid-19, and the number of unwell people amongst the group all make for an unsafe, and unpleasant environment for anyone thinking of joining the activity,” a police spokesperson said in a statement.
On Monday,14,633 new Covid-19 community cases were recorded in the country. Capital and Coast recorded 604 cases and the Hutt Valley 281.
There are 344 people in hospital with the virus, including five in a high dependency or intensive care unit.
"As the number of Covid-19 cases increases, we are continuing to see a disproportionate number of unvaccinated cases requiring hospital care," the ministry said.
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