Case numbers might be falling, but New Zealanders are being warned not to get complacent, and Aucklanders are urged to get tested to ensure Covid-19 isn't going undetected.
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson and Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield give the latest update Photo: Pool / Getty Images
For the second day in a row, 20 new community cases were reported today. Experts, health officials and the government all say that is promising, but they need to be assured the reported cases are the only new cases, and others aren't being missed.
When asked at the 1pm press conference today if New Zealand had flattened the curve, Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said it was clear the country was heading in the right direction, and hinted that the regions in level 3 may soon move to level 2.
Seventy-nine people had now recovered and the total number of active cases had dropped to 722.
The total number of unlinked cases has now fallen from 58 last Sunday to 30 today, with investigations into those still continuing.
Bloomfield thanked everyone in quarantine, and said staff numbers at MIQ facilities had been boosted to enable more exercise.
"I want to recognise the sacrifice, inconvenience and commitment they are making to keep themselves, their whānau and indeed the whole country, safe."
Covid-19 modeller Shaun Hendy said he was strongly encouraged by the falling number of new daily cases.
That meant the virus was being starved of new contacts to infect, though it remained unclear whether the 'tail' of the outbreak would drag on or drop sharply, he said.
Aucklanders with symptoms urged to get tested
Bloomfield urged anyone with symptoms or who had been at a location of interest to get tested.
"Please don't just put this down to a cold, or decide for yourself it is something minor. Please do get a test," he said.
Photo: Pool / Getty Images
Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson was also at the press conference, and said he wanted to see testing numbers in Auckland increase so the country can be sure the 20 cases yesterday were the only cases out there.
He called for all contacts of confirmed cases to get all their tests.
"With Delta, there's no room for complacency."
The government wants 7000 Covid tests in Auckland each day, but just under 2600 were taken in the past 24 hours.
Show you’re a team player get a COVID-19 test if you’ve been to a location of interest (between the times listed on our website) or have cold, flu or COVID-19 symptoms. Please call your GP, iwi health provider or Healthline on 0800 358 5453 for advice on testing. pic.twitter.com/yPJZhC2BfE
— Ministry of Health - Manatū Hauora (@minhealthnz) September 5, 2021
A comprehensive plan of testing will be rolled out in Auckland over the next couple of weeks, he said.
The government will not be relaxing restrictions in the region until it is confident there are no unknown cases lurking in the community, he said.
Level 2 signalled for regions outside Auckland
Cabinet is meeting tomorrow to decide whether regions outside Auckland can drop from level 3 to level 2.
Bloomfield hinted at a possible shift to alert level 2, saying advice was being drafted today around what a strengthened alert level 2 might look like, with a decision to be announced tomorrow.
Organisers of the Alexandra Blossom Festival are hopeful a move to level 2 will be announced, with an indication the alert level will be reviewed again, moving to level 1 in time for the festival's 65th anniversary later this month.
The Alexandra Blossom Festival will have to be cancelled if there's no indication soon on when the region will move to level 1. Photo: 123rf
Event manager Martin McPherson said without that assurance, they would have to cancel the event which attracted upwards of 15,000 people last year. Postponing wasn't an option.
It would be a massive blow to the community and local businesses if the festival had to be cancelled, he said.
Number of people in hospital with Covid drops
Four people with Covid-19 in New Zealand are being ventilated, but the number of people in hospital with the coronavirus has dropped from 43 yesterday to 38 today.
Sixteen are in Middlemore Hospital, 13 in Auckland Hospital and nine in North Shore Hospital.
Bloomfield said six people are in ICU or HDU and four are on ventilators.
The government plans to ramp up testing in Auckland to make sure cases aren't being missed Photo: AFP
Kiwis urged to maintain bubbles despite Father's Day
Police released a statement this afternoon reminding New Zealanders to stay in their bubbles, even if that means they can't be with their dads on Father's Day.
Police Commissioner Andrew Coster said the best way to show "love and appreciation" is to maintain our bubbles.
"The last thing anyone wants to do is compromise a parent or loved one's health by ignoring the restrictions."
My beautiful neighbours made this photo frame and all the dads out for a walk with their tamariki are stopping to pose for pics pic.twitter.com/QnYzw8ZueY
— Shane (@essjax) September 5, 2021
Coster provided an update on checkpoints, saying by 3pm yesterday, 18,493 vehicles had been stopped at the 10 checkpoints on Auckland's boundaries - the vast majority at the region's southern boundary.
Six-hundred and seventy-five had been turned away for non-essential travel - more than a third of those were at the State Highway 1/Mercer off-ramp checkpoint.
As of 5pm yesterday, 181 people have been charged with a total of 192 offences since level 4 began. Most were for failing to comply with a Covid-19 order, restriction or prohibition.
In the same time period, 473 people were warned for 476 offences.
Police have also issued 3852 infringements nationwide, most for people failing to remain at home, and conducting non-essential travel.
Police also received 16,572 online breach notifications - 10,120 about a gathering, 4829 about a business, and 1623 about a person. A further 10,591 Covid-19 related calls were made to the 105 phone line.
A police checkpoint in Mercer, near Auckland's border with Waikato. Photo: RNZ/Nick Monro
World news
New South Wales (NSW) reported 1485 new cases and three deaths, while Victoria reported 183 new community cases.
NSW Heath Minister Brad Hazzard said Friday was the second busiest day in history for the state's ambulance service and newly graduated paramedics were being recruited to help with the growing number of infections across the state.
Mass vaccinations were held at four centres throughout the city today. They were aimed at
emergency service workers, and people working in aged care and healthcare, particularly from the community hotspot areas.
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said "we certainly will not have to have a statewide lockdown ever again" once 80 percent of people are fully vaccinated.
Meanwhile, Victoria State Premier Daniel Andrews said 60 percent of the target population had now had their first vaccine, and they are on track to give out another million jabs within five weeks.
In Queensland one local case was detected, and they have been in home quarantine.
In ACT there were 15 new cases of the coronavirus reported today. Yesterday the state recorded its highest daily number of infections; 32.
Restrictions in the state were eased on Thursday, to allow groups of up to five people to gather together outdoors.
In other world news
- Japan's government plans to extend a state of emergency in and around Tokyo until the last week of September in a further bid to contain the coronavirus epidemic, the Mainichi newspaper reported on Saturday.
- Britain has reported 37,578 new cases of Covid-19, government data showed on Saturday, and cases reported between 29 August and 4 September were up 2.4 percent compared with the previous seven days.
- Chinese officials say the country has administered 2.092 billion doses of Covid-19 vaccines, as of Friday.
- The Covid-19 pandemic on French Polynesia has claimed another 17 lives as a month-long lockdown is about to enter its third week.
