18 Aug 2021

Covid-19: How day one of the latest lockdown unfolded

8:01 pm on 18 August 2021

More community cases have been announced today - including an AUT student and a woman with a link to the border - as Aotearoa's fight against the Delta variant continues.

Central Auckland at midday on the first day of the August 2021 lockdown.

Central Auckland at midday on the first day of the August 2021 lockdown. Photo: RNZ / Robert Smith

There have now been 10 community cases since yesterday, including the three reported earlier this evening.

These three include a 60-year-old woman who has a connection to the border. The Health Ministry says interviews are underway to determine any link to existing cases.

The other two are a man in his 20s who is the partner of a known case who was reported as a positive case this morning; and a a woman in her 20s who has a connection with another case reported today.

Two of the cases announced at 1pm today have also now been linked to existing cases, including a teenage woman who was a close contact of a case reported today and a man in his 20s who visited the household where three of the cases reported today live.

An AUT student who was at a lecture yesterday is also among the new cases of Covid-19 reported in the community today. The student was infectious when they attended a Social Institutions lecture in room WG403 on AUT's City Campus between 11.30am and 1pm yesterday.

See how the day unfolded with RNZ's blog:

Earlier today, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern revealed there were four new cases of Covid-19, one of which is an Auckland hospital worker.

Ardern also revealed the Devonport Covid-19 case is the Delta variant.

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This is an official COVID-19 ALERT.

All of New Zealand is now at Covid-19 alert level 4.

The alert level will be reviewed after 3 days for all areas EXCEPT Auckland & Coromandel Peninsula which is likely to remain at level 4 for an initial period of 7 days.

A community case of Covid-19 has been identified.

Stay at home where possible & follow the Alert Level 4 guidelines. This will stop the spread of COVID-19 and SAVE LIVES.

Everyone is asked to:

Wear a mask and keep a 2 metre distance from others whenever you leave your home.

If you are sick, call your doctor or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice about getting tested.

Keep on scanning QR codes whenever you leave your home.

Practice good hygiene - wash hands often.

Services including supermarkets, pharmacies, clinics & petrol stations will stay open at Alert Level 4.

For more information on Alert Level 4 go to [the government website www.covid19.govt.nz]

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