Checkpoint for Wednesday 19 August 2020

5:07 PM.It's a mystery baffling our health experts: How did a Rydges hotel maintenance man contract a strain of Covid-19 from a hotel guest he apparently never came into contact with?

Yesterday the Ministry… Read more Video, Audio

5:13 PM.Air Commodore Darryn Webb says the guest at Rydges who had Covid-19 may have passed it on to a nurse who then passed it on to a maintenance man at the facility. Read more Video, Audio

5:24 PM.Air New Zealand staff say there are a multitude of loopholes in the airline's border controls - and Covid-19 testing and isolation requirements need urgent attention.

The Health Minister today met… Read more Video, Audio

5:28 PM.The boss of Air NZ believes covid safety measures for international aircrew are strict enough and sees no reason to change them.

The Minister of Health has signalled he's aiming to release an order… Read more Video, Audio

5:38 PM.News from the business sector, including a market report. Video, Audio

5:49 PM.In Australia, Victoria's had another drop in coronavirus cases - today reporting 216 new infections and 12 more deaths.

It's a slight improvement on yesterday's numbers which were the best the state… Read more Video, Audio

5:53 PM.New Zealand Rugby is not in line for any special treatment to ensure its North-South match goes ahead next weekend.

Health Minister Chris Hipkins says it's unlikely 13 Auckland-based players will be… Read more Audio

5:56 PM.Good news for book worms with time management problems - libraries in the Selwyn District, in Canterbury, have stopped charging fines for overdue books in an effort to entice people scared off by… Read more Audio

6:06 PM.The government has unveiled a high profile team of trouble shooters to help protect the country's border.

It is scaling back the use of private security guards at managed isolation facilities, opting… Read more Audio

6:11 PM.Auckland's Mayor has been warned businesses teetering on the edge of collapse during the first lockdown may go to the wall this time around.

The council's chief economist is expecting around 250 jobs… Read more Audio

6:21 PM.The Attorney General says a High Court ruling that New Zealand's level 4 lockdown was unlawful for nine days, validates what it did in the early stages of the lockdown.

Lawyer Andrew Borrowdale had… Read more Audio

6:24 PM.Much of the country has had a good dumping of rainfall today.

Severe weather warnings were in place for Northland and Auckland as strong gales and rain lashed the regions.

Anneke Smith has more. Read more Audio