Genome sequencing has confirmed NZ's Covid-19 outbreak is the Delta strain of the virus, and that it came from New South Wales in Australia.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the Director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield are giving today's Covid update at the Beehive.
There are now seven cases in the community, with two additional cases to report from the four announced this morning and one yesterday.
A 20-year-old and 19-year-old are the latest cases, and are linked to the other cases.
One of the cases announced this morning is a 25-year-old teacher from Avondale College, and a 29-year-old male flatmate.
Another of the cases announced this morning was a nurse, who worked four shifts without knowing she was infected, Bloomfield said.
"We are absolutely anticipating more cases," Ardern said.
Most of the current cases are in their 20s and "we could expect already between 50 to 120 cases" Bloomfield said. The key is to find them as soon as possible.
The wife of yesterday's case - a Devonport man - has returned a second negative test.
Auckland Regional Public Health has identified 16 close contacts of the nurse and 14 have already been contacted.
Four of those contacts are fully vaccinated, three have had one dose and the remainder are unvaccinated.
The group of individuals are aged under 30.
Most of the cases identified have been in their 20s and have been "out and about", Bloomfield said.
NZ has not had a NSW Covid-19 case at Auckland City Hospital, Ardern said.
There was one at another hospital - a case was transferred from Jet Park to Middlemore Hospital who travelled from NSW, but this case "doesn't fit with the timeframes" of the current cases, Bloomfield said.
Masks mandatory
The government announced today is making it mandatory to wear masks while they are visiting essential services, including supermarkets and petrol stations.
Ardern said Cabinet has now confirmed its decision about mask use made earlier this week.
"From 11.50pm tonight, it will be mandatory for everyone aged 12 and over to wear a mask when they are visiting any of the essential services that are currently open, including supermarkets, pharmacies and service stations."
Staff will also be required to wear a mask.
Mandatory mask use will now also include places like bus terminals and taxis.
"Simply put at level 4 if you are in a place that is allowed to be open to provide services to people, or transport, you must wear a mask."
Two new 'major' locations of interest
Two major new locations of interest are the Auckland Central Church of Christ, that meets in Freemans Bay, and SkyCity Casino. The church had a service on Sunday, Bloomfield said. The visit to SkyCity Casino was Saturday night, possibly into Sunday morning,
"If you were in either of those locations, look out," Bloomfield said.
Contact tracers are reporting that when they are calling people, who have been exposed, they are at home.
"We need you to be at home, not out putting others at risk," said Ardern.
She pointed out that 633 cases were reported in NSW today.
Bloomfield also warned of those who have tested positive so far: "They have been out and about a lot and I am flagging that there will be large numbers of locations of interest."
Bloomfield thanked nursing and midwifery unions for withdrawing strike action scheduled for this week.
There were more than 2000 calls to Healthline overnight.
All testing centres are operating with extended hours until 8pm tonight.
Testing is under way in Thames, Coromandel town, including two pop up testing sites.
Anyone who is symptomatic or been at a location of interest are urged to get tested.
Rosedale wastewater testing results expected later today. Daily testing is taken from that site. Sampling from Whitianga town and other parts of the Coromandel are underway.
Bloomfield said hospitals are open and anyone who needs acute care should seek it. He advised people to ring their GP. Pharmacies are also open under alert level 4.
Genome testing under way
Three positive cases from Sydney went through MIQ in New Zealand in August and genome sequencing is underway on these, the PM said.
The Government will contact all travellers from Australia into New Zealand during the relevant time frame to contact them and to find whether yesterday's case is linked to them.
- additional reporting RNZ
