Auckland will learn its fate on Monday afternoon whether Alert Level 3 restrictions will be lifted, as the city enters its 48th day in lockdown since the current Covid-19 outbreak began.
Last month's shift from Alert Level 4 down to 3 has proven to have been unsuccessful in reducing the number of cases, with a further 33 recorded on Sunday, including two mysterious cases in the Waikato.
While disconcerting, Auckland's vaccination rate has been climbing steadily in recent weeks, with nearly 50 per cent of the city's residents fully vaccinated and around 85 per cent having had at least one dose.
Whether that is enough to convince the Government it is safe to move to Alert Level 2 remains to be seen.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has said no matter whether the alert level changes, the borders will remain in place around the city.
On Friday, Covid-19 modeller Michael Plank told Breakfast it would be "extremely risky" to move Auckland to Alert Level 2 this week.
"In terms of moving to Level 2, I think with the current uncertainty and those worrying signs that there's a risk that could really pour fuel on the fire and could start to lead to cases growing very rapidly if we were to move completely to Level 2," Plank said.
"I think it would be extremely risky to move to Level 2 at the current time."
Plank also compared New Zealand's outbreak to Melbourne, saying it's important Kiwis stick to the rules to try keep the Delta outbreak contained as across the ditch they had similar restrictions and vaccination rates.
"Their outbreak has gown very, very rapidly ... so yeah, it is a dangerous time."
As of Sunday, there are 26 people in hospital in New Zealand with Covid-19, most of whom are in Auckland.
Three are in ICU or high dependency units at Middlemore Hospital.
The Alert Level review decision will be announced at 4pm on Monday on TVNZ1 and livestreamed on 1News' website and Facebook page .
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