Auckland to move out of lockdown from Sunday morning

The New Zealand Government has today advised that Auckland will move out of lockdown at 6am on Sunday morning.

The city will move from the Alert Level 3 restrictions imposed last weekend after the after the New Zealand Ministry of Health revealed earlier today that for the fifth consecutive day there were no new COVID-19 cases in the community.

Also from Sunday the rest of the country will move to Alert Level 1, from Level 2.

The new alert levels will be reviewed at the end of next week - with the view Auckland will move to Alert Level 1 by the start of next weekend.

The latest lockdown was linked a person, known as Case M, who tested positive, reportedly for the UK variant of the virus, who had visited a range of locations in the city including the Hunters Plaza CityFitness on Saturday 20th and Friday 26th February.

New Zealand Director of Health issued a health order for people who visited the gym on on those days requiring them to isolate at their usual home, to report for and undergo a COVID-19 test and accept the test and remain isolated until they get further directions.

Auckland had not long been out of previous restrictions, having been through a three-day Alert Level 3 lockdown that began on 15th February, only moving back down to Alert Level 1 on 22nd February.

Advice on the easing followed residents on parts of the North Island coast being forced to evacuate inland or to higher ground following a series of earthquakes on the Pacific Ocean floor to the north of country earlier today.

Image: Hunters Plaza CityFitness.