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Otago University students are being urged to take coronavirus warnings seriously after large numbers of them defied calls to avoid mass gatherings during St Patrick's Day yesterday.
Three people were arrested and five students were referred to the University's proctor during celebrations in the city.
Senior Sergeant Craig Dinnissen, of Dunedin, said the arrests, which happened across the afternoon and evening, were for disorder and breaching bail by drinking.
He said referrals to the university's proctor were due to behaviour offences which did not reach arrest threshold.
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield today said people needed to take advice seriously, and "stopping mass gatherings is a really important part''.
The university said it was ‘‘disappointed’’ some students ignored a plea - issued on Monday - to avoid large gatherings and parties.
Hundreds of people flocked to flat parties in North Dunedin from early yesterday, and people were seen walking in the middle of the road, some unable to stand on their own, smashing bottles and urinating on streets.
A student and Castle St resident said it could be the ‘‘last big event for a while’’, after the Hyde St party was cancelled, and she would make the most of it, despite the university advising against large social gatherings.
‘‘Coronavirus is bad but you cannot relive second year [of university],’’ she said.
One student, who was at a flat party attended by about 100 people, said he would keep going to gatherings until the university closed and moved classes online.
‘‘We should be preventing it before it happens,’’ he said.
A number of people outside the flat agreed with him and believed their lectures had a similar number of people in them.
A mass of green could be seen moving down Park St in North Dunedin about 10.30am as people, with drinks in hand, made their way to a flat in Queen St, which hosted several hundred people.
A man, who said he was a fourth year accounting student, said there were not enough options for students to drink in a controlled environment, as many student bars had closed.
‘‘We have nothing to do but do it ourselves.’’
University Student Health head Margaret Perley was disappointed the message to show social responsibility during a ‘‘very serious’’ pandemic situation had not been followed by all students.
‘‘Ultimately, students will choose how they behave. We can only give advice and rationale on why certain behaviours should be avoided at this time.’’
She said advice from the Ministry of Health, so far, excluded teaching facilities but did draw the line on large gatherings.
‘‘There can be a great deal more contact between people and potential for spread of disease at social events.’’
The university had restricted all lectures to under 500 people and was putting social distancing measures in place in waiting rooms for Student Health, the Unipol gym and other areas.
Mrs Perley said issues and injuries from alcohol-fuelled behaviour would place pressure on the health system.
About 5pm yesterday, a police spokeswoman said police were ‘‘generally pleased’’ with behaviour surrounding St Patrick’s Day and no arrests had been made at that stage.