All of NZ to remain at level 4 until Friday; Auckland until Tuesday

Author: Newstalk ZB,
Publish Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021, 1:38PM

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield provided an update on alert levels, announcing all of NZ would remain at level 4 until 11.59 Friday and Auckland until 11.59 Tuesday.

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Cabinet has decided to keep all of NZ until 11.59 pm Friday, 27 August. That would allow additional data on how contained it was likely to be. Would be reviewed this Friday, and an update given in the afternoon.
Moving down alert levels would depend on factors such as waste water results, and whether any cases emerged in other parts of the country.
Auckland will remain in level 4 until at least 11.59 Tuesday 31 August, to be a level 4 for a full 14-day cycle. These settings will be reviewed on Monday.
35 new cases were announced today, 33 in Auckland, 2 in Wellington, bringing the total number of cases in the community to 107
Over 13,000 contacts have been identified
3 news cases were also announced in MIQ
Re-testing of all staff at Crowne Plaza and the Jet Park facility had revealed no new clues as to how the virus got into the community.
Extensive waste water testing has been undertaking with positive results only in Auckland and Wellington.
Ardern says with Delta more certainty is needed."
She said move to immediate lockdown was important because Delta had a head start on us.
She also said on current numbers, each case of Delta had transmitted it to six others. That needed to be less than 1.
Ardern said the more cautious approach of Delta meant there were more contacts. That meant there wouldn't be the same certainty of reaching all those who needed to be.
She also cautioned cases may continue to get worse before they get better.