No new Covid-19 cases in New Zealand today

There are no new cases of Covid-19 in the community today, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield has confirmed just before Jacinda Ardern confirmed that the country will move down alert levels.

The total number of active cases in NZ is at 62 after nine people recovered from the virus. Of those, 33 are community cases and 29 are at the border.

New Zealand’s total number of cases remains at 1464.

Three people are in hospital with Covid-19 – one each at Auckland City, Middlemore and North Shore hospitals. All three are in isolation in a general ward.

Bloomfield commended the man who recently returned from India - and passed two tests in quarantine - before failing a test after developing symptoms once he had been released from managed isolation. Prior to his positive test on Saturday, and two household members testing positive yesterday, New Zealand had gone four days in a row without a case in the community. 

"When he developed symptoms, he sought advice quickly from Healthline, was tested, and he self-isolated as did members of his family," Bloomfield said.

"This is exactly the sort of vigilance that will help us keep ahead of the virus.

"I would like to thank him again and his family for their quick thinking. All indications are that this has prevented the virus from spreading further." 

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Auckland to move to Alert Level 2 late Wednesday, rest of country to Level 1 tonight

September 21, 2020

Bloomfield said 40 people isolating in the Auckland quarantine facility from the community, which includes 17 people who have tested positive for Covid-19 and their household contacts.

The Prime Minister confirmed shortly after the case numbers were announced that Auckland will move to Alert Level 2 on Wednesday evening, while the alert level for the rest of the country will be lowered to Level 1 tonight.