Essential workers commuting across Auckland's border will be asked to get regular tests from tomorrow, while there are now 42 people with Covid-19 in hospitals. See how the day unfolded with RNZ's blog.
Police monitoring a checkpoint in Mercer, near Auckland's border with Waikato. Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
From midnight the region will be the only part of the country still under level four restrictions.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield wants people to get tested in the next three to four days, even if they have no symptoms.
"We are looking at how to put in place a system to check that these commuting essential workers are being regularly tested to support our efforts now and in the future."
Dr Bloomfield says they'll also be introducing a system for regular surveillance testing of certain groups of essential workers.
He's reminding essential workers not to go to work if they have any symptoms, or have been at a location of interest.
They're being asked to stay home and isolate in their bubble, let their employer know and call Healthline for advice about getting a test.
Meanwhile, there are now 42 people with Covid-19 in Auckland's hospitals, the Health Ministry has revealed.
Speaking at today's update, where it was revealed there were 49 new community cases, Dr Ashley Bloomfield said six of the people in hospital were in ICU and three are being ventilated.
There are 19 cases in Middlemore Hospital, 15 in Auckland Hospital and eight in North Shore Hospital.
See how the day unfolded with RNZ's blog: