Sunday 3 October, 1 pm
Two cases of Covid 19 have been identified outside of Auckland today.
The cases are in Waikato - 1 is in Raglan, and the other in Hamilton
The two cases are connected to each other, but are yet to be linked to the Auckland outbreak.
While there are 33 new cases today, only 1 of these cases is being included in that case count due to the time it was reported.
Therefore, in today's 1pm update, Health Director General Dr Ashley Bloomfield said that 32 of today's cases are classified as Auckland-based. The remaining case is one of the Waikato cases.
Of today's cases, 15 are yet to be linked. Of those, 2 have possible links and another 3 of are from the same whānau and household.
Of yesterday’s 27 cases, 4 remain unlinked.
Dr Bloomfield also confirmed there were 5 active sub clusters in Auckland, which is where the majority of new cases are emerging.
Waikato cases
1 case lives in Raglan, the other in Hamilton East.
At this stage, while they are known associates or contacts, there is no obvious link to the Auckland outbreak.
"We would expect that both the interview of the cases and the whole genome sequencing which is being done with urgency will help us elaborate what that link might be," Bloomfield said.
The case from Raglan has been moved to Auckland with their family. They returned a positive test on October 1 and their infectious period is deemed to be from September 20.
A pop-up testing centre has been set up in Raglan. Anyone with symptoms should get a test, Bloomfield said.
The second Waikato case from Hamilton East was tested yesterday evening after becoming unwell.
This person was transferred overnight to Waikato Hospital when they became unwell. They are being treated for Covid-19 related symptoms. There have been no exposure events at the hospital as "they were prepared and ready to receive this person," Bloomfield said.
This case's household contacts are self-isolating and being tested.
People should continue to check the list of locations of interest, which are being constantly updated and is available here at the Ministry of Health website.
Alert level restrictions in Waikato
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said in light of the two Waikato cases, alert level 3 restrictions would be extended to parts of region.
From 11.59pm tonight, Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Huntly, Ngaruawahia, and Hamilton City would move to level 3, alongside Auckland.
The specific boundaries for the Waikato area will be made available online at the Government's Covid website here. There will be spot checks around the areas, but they will not be the same as the "hard boundary" which is being patrolled in Auckland, Ardern said. Due to the number of feeder roads into Hamilton, it is impractical to manage these areas in the same way as Auckland, she said.
"We ask people please to maintain compliance."
The alert level 3 restrictions for these Waikato areas will remain in place for at least 5 days. At this point, it will be reassessed.
That means over the next five days, the full range of Covid community checks, like contact tracing, surveillance testing and waste water testing, will take place in these areas, Ardern said.
Auckland's boundary remains unchanged and checks and restrictions are ongoing.
Hospitalisations
26 people are in hospital today, with the majority in Auckland. Of these 3 people are in ICU - all in Auckland's Middlemore Hospital.
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