Auckland will go into alert level 3 lockdown for seven days, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says.
The rest of the country will go into level 2 for the same time.
It comes after a new Covid-19 case was detected in the community this afternoon.
Gatherings outside of bubbles are prohibited.
She said this means all sports games now need to be canceled – that includes the Auckland Round the Bays.
The new case was a family member of a student from Papatoetoe High School. That student had tested negative 3 times before and had no known symptoms – that means there is no current link.
Genome testing is underway – and there is a strong assumption that it’s from the current cluster.
But that cannot be confirmed yet.
She said there was a “cause for concern” as this person has been infectious for a week and not been in isolation.
Cabinet met this afternoon after the new case was detected.
That person had been to a number of “well-populated sites”.
The latest case developed symptoms on Tuesday. “As a result, the person is regarded as being potentially infectious from Sunday 21 February.”
They were tested on Friday and the positive result was received today.
She said Aucklanders need to be protected “once again”.
Four new locations of interest
The Ministry of Health has released four new locations of interest tonight:
• Hunter Plaza (26 February) 2.55pm-5pm
•Burger King Highland Park (25 February) 8pm-9pm
•Your Health Pharmacy (23 February) 2.45pm-3.50pm
• Pak’nSave Manukau (21 February) 5.30pm-6.40pm
Anyone who visited these locations are to be considered a contact of a Covid case “out of an abundance of caution”. No specific times have been mentioned by the Ministry so far.
Meanwhile a gym in Papatoetoe has been closed today after being told a person who has tested positive had visited twice, including on Friday.
This exact location has not been confirmed by health officials, but it is located in Hunter Plaza.
CityFitness Papatoetoe told members in an email tonight:
“We have been notified by Auckland Regional Public Health that a person who tested positive for Covid 19 visited our Papatoetoe location on the dates and times below.”
Saturday Feb 20th – 12:20pm – 1:45pm
Friday Feb 26th – 3:20pm – 4:40 pm
“We have been advised the Auckland Regional Health Board will contact directly anyone who was in the gym during that time and designated as a “Close” or “Casual Plus” contact who should follow the steps below.”
The Ministry of Health said earlier today there were three categories of contacts related to KFC. Eleven people in the first category are close contacts plus who also worked there and are in 14-day isolation.
Members of the public who entered the store at the time are close contacts who must get tested today, and casual plus contacts who went the drive-thru should also get tested today. Both groups should isolate until receiving a negative result.
Yesterday Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said she was, “like everyone, frustrated” about the person who went to work at KFC.
“We want people to do the right thing because that’s what keeps everyone safe.”
Despite this, she is warning against a “mass pile [on]” of the person in question, as that might create an environment where people are too afraid to get tested.
And if they don’t, she is sounding a warning: “There is a section 70 order”.
That order means a medical officer of health can oblige people to isolate.
“We have some legal footing for that … and so there are repercussions,” Ardern said.
Earlier today, prior to the latest community case being revealed, there was only one Covid-19 case in managed isolation.
