Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is giving a briefing on the three-day level 3 lockdown in Auckland and level 2 alert for the rest of the country.
The government last night announced that four Covid-19 cases of unknown origin had been found in a family in South Auckland. This prompted a move to alert level 3 for all of Auckland from noon today and level 2 restrictions for the rest of the country.
Watch the media briefing here from about 10.30am:
A child who attends Mount Albert Primary School is believed to be involved with the community cases.
Follow the latest updates on RNZ’s live blog.
Restrictions will last until at least midnight on Friday, but experts are warning people to prepare themselves for the possibility they will remain in place longer.
People in Auckland are being asked to wear masks if they were out in public either for essential travel or supermarket shopping, Health Minister Chris Hipkins said.
He said an order would be issued at midday today and making mask wearing mandatory for Aucklanders was one of the things being considered.
Source: rnz.co.nz Republished by arrangement.