The Government has shut the transtasman travel bubble for at least the next eight weeks.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern acknowledged the 'devastating' impact the Australian Covid outbreak was having on people's lives. She willed the country a speedy recovery, but warned the movement of people could complicate the recovery, she said.
Ardern she would not risk the hard work put in by the team of 5 million by keeping the bubble open when the risk was high from the Delta variant.
The Delta variant had materially changes the risk profile for the transtasman bubble, she said.
In the view of our health officials there is greater risk now than when they opened the travel bubble with Australia.
"Covid has changed, so we must," Ardern said.
Quarantine-free travel has been suspeneded from 11.59pm tonight and the bubble will be closed for at least the next eight weeks.
There will be flights home from all Australian territories for the next 7 days.
If demand had not been met, more flights will be extended.
In NSW, New Zealanders can only fly from Sydney and will have to be in MIQ for 14 days.
In Victoria, travelers must have a negative pre-departure test and must isolated until a negative day 3 test.
Ardern advised Kiwis not to travel to Australia in the next eight weeks.
Extra staff were being deployed to New Zealand's ports to check the pre-departure tests, Ardern said.
Ardern said many people would be disappointed to be separated from friends and family again.
Ardern said the Government did want the travel bubble to resume, but the outbreak needed to be contained before that could happen.
Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said the overall risk from Australia was low but increasing.
He said the NSW outbreak was clearly not contained and the number of cases who were in the community while infectious was a concern.
The suspension would allow Australian officials to manage the outbreak, he said.
Bloomfield emphasised the transmissability of the Delta variant was hugely concerning and even contact tracing had been unable to get ahead of it, he said.
Bloomfield said an incursion of the Delta variant would require a swift and forceful response if we did have a case of the Delta variant and health officials were preparing for it.
Today's NZ cases
The Ministry of Health has confirmed there are 19 new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation, all of whom are mariners.
There are no cases of Covid-19 in the community.
Sixteen of the 19 mariner cases in MIQ are from the Playa Zahara, which arrived in Lyttelton.
These cases were previously under investigation but have now been deemed current cases.
Three cases were mariners who were aboard the MS Mattina, which is docked near Bluff.
The Ministry of Health announced last night the whole genome sequencing from nine crew members of the Mattina showed they had the Delta variant of Covid-19.
"This morning, the Ministry can confirm that a further three crew members onboard have tested positive for Covid-19. In total onboard the Mattina, there are now 15 positive Covid-19 cases.
"All crew who have tested positive will remain quarantined on board the vessel at this time."
Three crew members, including the ship’s captain, who have all tested negative for Covid-19, have been safely transported to onshore facilities, under the same strict infection prevention and control procedures, including the use of full PPE, regularly used to transport people arriving from overseas to MIQ facilities.
The captain on the ship was safely transported last night to a secure DHB-provided facility to isolate.
Two of the other crew members are being transported to a Christchurch-based quarantine facility today.
