Police checkpoint on Auckland’s borders have once again been established as the country’s largest city moved back into Alert Level 3 this morning.
The checkpoints on the outskirts of Auckland will be stopping vehicles and questioning drivers to make sure no one is leaving the city for non-essential travel.
Vehicles at the city's south are being stopped again at Mercer, near Auckland's border with Waikato.
The southern checkpoint started slightly later than the 6am change in levels, with vehicles being stopped from about 6.20am.
Queues were light as the border started operating.
Police could be heard telling some drivers "you need to head back to Auckland" soon after the checkpoint came into force.
Exemptions for those needing to leave the city will run as they previously have, police say.
The country’s biggest city is once again in lockdown following more community Covid-19 cases.
The Auckland region boundaries are:
SH1/Mangawhai Rd (Twin Coast Discovery Highway)
Mangawhai Rd / north of Coal Hill Rd
Black Swamp, west of Rako Rd
Mangawhai Rd and Cames Rd
Mangawhai Rd and Ryan Rd
Mercer off ramp / Koheroa Rd (southbound traffic on SH1 and Mercy Ferry Rd)
SH1 / Oram Road (north bound traffic on SH1)
Mangatawhiri Rd / Koheroa Rd / SH2 off ramp (All east- and west-bound traffic)
East Coast Rd (Waharau Regional Park)
Pukekawa-Churchill / Highway 22 and Highway 22 / Logan Rd
Tuakau Bridge-Port Waikato Rd intersection with Klondyke Rd.
The regional border restrictions come after another community case with unknown links to previous cases with the virus was announced yesterday.
The case, known as Case M, is an older sibling of a Papatoetoe High School student who was a casual plus contact.
The student had returned three recent negative tests and is asymptomatic.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said last night due to the fact the new case cannot currently be linked to the current Auckland cluster the decision to move alert levels had to be made.
The new case is a contact of a Papatoetoe High School student who tested negative.
However, she says officials think there is a strong chance the new case will be linked to the cluster.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Health says Case M developed symptoms on Tuesday 23 February.
"As a result, the person is regarded as being potentially infectious from Sunday 21 February.
"The person was tested yesterday (Friday 26 February) and the result was received this afternoon," the Ministry says.
The Ministry of Health has released a list of locations visited by tonight’s new community case of Covid-19 in Auckland.
The locations include a CityFitness gym, a Burger King and a Pak'nSave.
The Papatoetoe gym sent an email alert to members tonight outlining times and dates visited, which are: Saturday Feb 20th – 12:20pm – 1:45pm and Friday Feb 26th – 3:20pm – 4:40 pm.
Burger King Highland Park was also visited by the person on February 25.
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