Covid 19 coronavirus: latest case numbers revealed

There are three new cases of Covid-19 to report today, says the Health Ministry.

It comes as Auckland prepares to move to full alert level 2, with the continued use of masks on public transport and flights, and a meeting limit of 100 people, starting at 11:59 pm tonight.

The rest of the country went yesterday to alert level 1.

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Yesterday there were no new cases but a “weak positive” was identified, which had tested positive on Monday but then tested negative on Tuesday morning.

The case is believed to be historic and the person is believed to have been infected prior to boarding a flight to New Zealand from India.

The person was one of the close contacts of the man who tested positive over the weekend. They shared a chartered flight from Christchurch to Auckland on September 11 after spending 14 days in controlled isolation, during which they both tested negative.

This morning, Health Director General Ashley Bloomfield unveiled new measures to further narrow the border.

“Aircrews coming from overseas-based airlines will now be housed in managed isolation facilities before they fly again,” he said.

Aircrews are exempt from the regular testing of border workers that was ordered in a Public Health Response order earlier this month.

Bloomfield said the New Zealand-based crew did not have to go to an isolation or managed quarantine (MIQ) facility.

“They still do a couple of days of self-isolation and require a negative test before leaving.”

New Zealand CEO Justin Tighe-Umbers’ Board of Airline representatives said the new requirements will likely be implemented before the end of the month.

“Airlines recognize the need to comply with measures that will keep New Zealand and the border safe.

“They are comfortable meeting the requirements, and in fact some of them are already housed in some of those facilities.”