The government has announced a three-stage phase for easing restrictions in Auckland, as 29 new community cases were reported and a further three confirmed in Waikato on Monday.
Here's a summary of today's Covid-19 developments.
Photo: RNZ
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced this afternoon that based on official health advice, Cabinet had decided to implement a three-stage approach easing restrictions in Auckland, starting at 11.59pm tomorrow night.
Step one allows for Aucklanders to travel throughout the region for exercise and recreation, and early childhood centres to open for all children. It also allows for two households up to a maximum of 10 people to get together - but only outside.
"Outdoors and the ventilation that provides makes all the difference," Ardern said.
"So don't for a moment be tempted to suddenly if the weather turns bad switch up to [going] into your home. Being outside is the only reason we're allowing this because we know it makes such a material difference."
Ardern said the public health advice is that these changes are unlikely to contribute to uncontrolled growth in the outbreak.
At the second stage, retail shops can open with face masks and social distancing, public facilities such as pools and zoos will open and the number of people who can meet outdoors will increase to 25.
Hospitality venues will open at the third stage, seating people at a distance with a maximum capacity of 50 people.
Tāmaki Makaurau remains in level 3, with restrictions easing somewhat, while Waikato remains in level 3 for several more days with no easing of restrictions, and the rest of New Zealand stays in level 2 - with the only change being the 100 person limit in hospitality venues removed.
Photo: RNZ/Vinay Ranchhod
By the numbers
Twenty-eight new community cases were reported in Auckland today, one in Waikato and another three are confirmed in the region - but will be added to tomorrow's total.
- Twenty-nine new community cases
- Two new cases at the border
- Seven of today's cases remain unlinked as well as nine of yesterday's
- A total of 1357 community cases in this outbreak
- Nineteen of yesterday's 33 cases have exposure events
- There are 15 epidemiologically linked sub-clusters, seven of which are active
- There are 14 unlinked sub-clusters, five of which are active
- Thirty people are in hospital, including five in ICU or high dependency units
- There are 138 locations of interest
- First doses of the vaccination have passed the 2 million mark, with 2,018,305 now administered
New cases in Waikato
Three household contacts of the Raglan case have tested positive - one of which is a newly identified household contact living on the property.
The Ministry of Health said they have all have now been moved to an Auckland quarantine facility.
These three cases will be officially recorded in tomorrow's case numbers.
Testing has ramped up in the region, which moved to alert level 3 at 11.59pm last night after community cases were reported.
People will be able to go fishing and hunting once step one comes into place on Wednesday Photo: 123RF
ECE to open, schools likely to open at start of term 4
Early childhood centres will open to all children from Wednesday, as part of step one in the government's three-stage approach to ease restrictions.
Ardern said the public health team believe that with the right precautions in place, the risk posed by reopening ECE is low. This includes limits of 10 within a bubble in ECE and strict infection control.
The Early Childhood Council said the decision to let centres open puts their staff on the front line. It wants clear advice from the health and education ministries about managing the health risk.
Schools are likely to open to all students from 18 October, the start of term 4, but Cabinet would continue to review advice and has not made a final decision, Ardern said.
Covid-19 Response and Education Minister Chris Hipkins signalled tougher rules for unvaccinated teachers would be introduced.
"It may be that those who are not vaccinated need to be tested more frequently, for example, there might be requirements for unvaccinated people working in schools and working with young people who can't be vaccinated to be frequently tested. We'll work our way through those, we will talk to the sector about the practical realities of all of those other things."
More vaccinations needed
While Aucklanders' uptake of the Covid-19 vaccinations in the past seven weeks had allowed for an easing of restrictions, Ardern urged anyone who hasn't had one to get their first dose.
Since Auckland went into lockdown on 17 August, vaccination numbers have doubled from 42 percent having received their first dose to 84 percent, and 25 percent being fully vaccinated to 50 percent.
"Modelling is also now telling us that while we're still seeing cases, it's now 50 percent less than what we could've seen without vaccinations," Ardern said.
Vaccines are now the country's best defence against Covid-19, she said.
"This is a change in approach we were always going to make over time, but the Delta outbreak has accelerated that transition. Vaccines, will support it," she said of the introduction of the three-stage approach.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said restrictions will ease in Auckland over four to eight weeks.
"I'm sure like everybody, particularly in Auckland, we're looking forward to a summer where we can enjoy freedoms and our ticket to that is vaccination, so the next four to eight weeks into early December is critical to get our vaccination rates up."
A baby in North Shore Hospital's maternity ward has tested positive for Covid-19 Photo: rafaelbenari/123RF
Covid cases identified in Auckland hospitals
A baby at North Shore Hospital's maternity ward has tested positive for Covid-19.
The baby and its mother were tested after the father - a nominated visitor - returned a positive result. The mother returned a negative result, Waitematā District Health Board said.
They have both been moved to a Covid-19 ward and safety protocols are in place, while a small number of staff who had contact with the family have been stood down while investigations continue, the DHB added.
Meanwhile, a person who went to Auckland City Hospital's Emergency Department yesterday and was admitted to intensive care for non-Covid-19 reasons, has tested positive for the virus.
Auckland DHB said it is investigating the case alongside Auckland Regional Public Health Service.
Ministry of Health said today it is not planning to ask hospitals to ban unvaccinated people as Covid-19 cases are linked to maternity wards.
The ministry said hospitals strongly recommend people get vaccinated, but is not stopping unvaccinated visitors.
Petition calls for Brian Tamaki to be charged
More than 100,000 people have signed petition calling for Destiny Church leader Brian Tamaki to be criminally charged over an anti-lockdown protest.
The petition was started 24 hours ago.
Around 1000 people gathered in Auckland Domain on Saturday, where Tamaki questioned the Government's handling of the Covid pandemic.
Police say they are in the final stages of their investigation into breaches and are considering laying charges against the organisers.