New Zealand outside of Auckland will remain at Level 2 for at least another week, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced.
The country outside of Auckland will remain at Level 2 until 11.59pm on Tuesday, September 21.
Auckland will remain at Level 4 until at least 11.59pm on Tuesday, September 21, with an "in-principal decision" to move to Level 3 then.
The settings will be reviewed by Cabinet next Monday, September 20.
"I know the risk to the rest of the country may feel low. While it's true there's nothing to indicate that there is Covid anywhere outside of Auckland, there is still reason to be cautious," Ardern said in a post-Cabinet press conference on Monday afternoon.
"If Covid were to travel over the Auckland border, the impact of that happening in a Level 1 environment would be far greater than if a case emerged in a Level 2 environment.
"It would mean a far greater chance of spread if it were Level 1 and a far greater chance of a return to lockdown - nobody wants that."
it comes after the Ministry of Health reported 33 new cases today, all in Auckland.
"We can only move down alert levels when we are sure we can do so safely and without putting people at risk," Ardern said.
"While there is an outbreak in Auckland that continues to produce cases, there is risk."
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