Auckland to move to Alert Level 1 at midnight - 'Reflects the incredible work on behalf of all New Zealanders'

The PM’s announcement comes despite one new community case today — someone already in quarantine who is a household contact of a previous cases.

Auckland will join the rest of New Zealand at Alert Level 1 from midnight tonight. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern also confirmed the new rule that required all New Zealanders, not just those in Auckland, to wear masks on public transport under Level 1 will remain.  

Ardern made the announcement from Christchurch today, after one new community case of Covid-19 was reported this afternoon, linked to the earlier outbreak this month . The person was in a quarantine facility already as other members of their family were infected. 

"This decision reflects the incredible work on behalf of all New Zealanders over the past week, and as always, we thank you," Ardern said.

She said the recent outbreak was a "stark reminder that as long as Covid is widespread in the world, it remains very much a part of our lives too".

The new mask wearing rule on public transport will be reviewed as the vaccine roll out progresses.

The latest case is a household member of a previous case, and was already isolating.

"Be kind to public transport staff and drivers," Ardern said. "They are just doing their job."

Ardern also encouraged people to use their Covid-19 QR code scanner for contact tracing.

Auckland moved down from Level 3 to Level 2 late on Wednesday last week, while the rest of the New Zealand moved to Level 1. 

On February 14, Ardern announced Auckland would move to Alert Level 3 while the rest of the country to Alert Level 2 from 11.59pm that day, for at least three days.

It came after three community Covid-19 cases were found over that weekend. 

The Prime Minister says keeping Auckland at Alert Level 2 was a "precautionary" step based on experts' advice.

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