Covid 19 coronavirus: 5 new cases as Jacinda Ardern reveals alert level call

New Zealand will remain at alert level 2 and Auckland at alert level 2.5 for at least 10 more days, says Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

The Cabinet has decided to maintain the current alert levels and will review them again on Monday, September 14, when it will decide whether to adjust them at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, September 16.

It comes as Chief Health Officer Ashley Bloomfield reveals five new cases of Covid-19. Three are in the community.

Ardern said the cases in Tokoroa were an example of why all of New Zealand had to have restrictions.

Bloomfield said he was not looking for a streak of zero cases in the community, but rather if they were expected or unexpected. For example, today’s cases were connected to the Mt Roskill church and were already self-isolated.

Comply with the rules: Ardern’s plea

He urged Auckland locals to stick to their limits this weekend and asked them to think about the rest of New Zealand.

“Do it for us.”

Ardern described the reduction in alert levels as “dangerous.”

There will be a “very visible” police presence in places where people congregate this weekend, such as bars and restaurants.

Ardern said giving a partner “ample trail space” was an act of kindness.

Ardern reminded New Zealanders that masks were a must on public transport and on airplanes and encouraged them in Auckland’s public places and asked Auckland locals to join in the “uncomfortable experience” of figuring out what to do with them. when they have ordered a hot drink.

“Let’s redouble our efforts and move on.”

Health personnel will be based at Auckland National Airport this weekend to monitor travelers. Anyone who feels ill should not fly. Ardern said having the health station at Auckland Airport helped remind people of the restrictions.

“If you’re not feeling well, don’t travel at all, especially if you’re from Auckland,” Ardern said.

There was some discussion about moving Auckland from level 2.5 to level 2, but the meeting limits had been in place for less than a week so there wasn’t enough time to see their effect.

There was also a discussion about moving the South Island down, but “ultimately, we are a very mobile country” and the best mitigation in Covid-19 was social distancing.

The reasons behind the government’s decision

Ardern said the Auckland cluster remains contained and there is no evidence that it should return to level 3.

About 300,000 tests have been conducted since the outbreak began, including tests in the community and at the border.

Since it went to alert level 2.5 in Auckland, there have been another 30 cases, but genomic testing shows they are all linked to a single index case, Ardern said.

The cabinet considered whether the cluster was contained, compliance with the rules, and the cost of restrictions when making its decision.

He said that a strong economic response was a strong health response.

Ardern said the case that could not be linked epidemiologically could mean that there are people who are losing, so they had to exercise caution.

The longest spreading period in this group was on weekends, Ardern said.

Locking would always be the last resort rather than “pinging” between levels.

“This is just not the time for Auckland to see changes there.”

Ardern said he had spoken to other world leaders about confinement fatigue.

On fatigue, Bloomfield said that the “incredible acceptance” of the Covid Tracer app showed that people were willing to do what it takes.

Ardern said New Zealanders know the payoff of compliance and “see the long-term benefits.”

Bloomfield urged anyone leaving Auckland not to mix in groups of more than 10 and reminded them that they would be restricted to hospitality venues anyway.

Ardern asked politicians to abide by the same restrictions they asked of everyone else when traveling in and out of Auckland.

PMs call the right one – Mayor of Auckland

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said the government’s decision to keep Auckland at Alert Level 2, with additional restrictions, is the correct one.

“Auckland people can be proud of the success we have had so far in limiting the second Covid-19 outbreak, and I appreciate the sacrifices they have made to achieve this,” he said.

“But it’s crucial that we stay the course. While we are all eager to get to Level 1, the last thing we want is to move too soon and risk a further resurgence of the virus.

“That would be the worst outcome – not only would it jeopardize the health and safety of Aucklandites, including some of our most vulnerable communities, but it would further damage businesses and the economy and put the achievements we have made at risk. achieved so far.

“I urge everyone to follow the rules: wear a mask when on public transportation and in other situations where physical distancing is difficult, keep up with good hygiene practices like hand washing, and track your movements with the NZ Covid Tracer app.

“Doing so will keep you and others safe, and it will help us get back to Tier 1, with the added freedoms and business resumption that this implies.”

Today’s five new cases

Two cases are in controlled isolation and three in the community, all related to the epidemiology of the August Auckland group.

There are 82 people in the cluster in managed isolation, and Bloomfield said that number continues to decline as people recover.

There are six people in the hospital, two in intensive care.

Eight new cases have been recovered, meaning that there are 112 active cases, of these 36 are in MIQ and 75 are community cases.

3191 close contacts have been identified, of which 3136 have been contacted.

Bloomfield said in today’s report on racism in the healthcare system that it shows it was “a known problem” and organizations were working to try to improve it.

The current alert level setting (level “2.5” for Auckland and 2 for the rest of the country) is in effect until September 6, Sunday, but Ardern is scheduled to announce today if the country remains in that status any longer.

Yesterday he said that the government “will always be very cautious” about the timing of a possible move to alert level 1.

Two new Covid-19 cases were announced yesterday: a 21-year-old man linked to the Americold Cool Store case group and who was already in isolation as a close contact, and another woman in managed isolation.

Health officials are confident they are aware of the community outbreak of Covid-19 cases as the cabinet meets today to assess the alert level settings, but warn that the cases are likely to continue for several more weeks.

University of Otago public health professor Nick Wilson told Newstalk ZB today that he did not expect the cabinet to lower the alert level to 1 starting Sunday, but did not think it would go too far, especially if the masks were used more frequently.

“We’re really not seeing enough evidence yet of really good control … we still get cases every day in the community. To be really safe, we should be waiting to see days when there are no new cases,” Wilson told Mike Hosking.

“I think we could move faster [by] using masks better. “

He believed that masks could be mandatory in areas other than public transportation, which would help speed up the elimination of the virus and return to level 1.