Auckland will move to alert level three from tomorrow night (Tuesday September 21) and the rest of the country will remain at alert level two, prime minister Jacinda Ardern has confirmed.

As long as Auckland is at a higher alert level a “greater level of preparedness is needed elsewhere,” the PM said, “that is: level two.” 

There is one adjustment to level two: hospitality businesses will be able to increase the number of people allowed in their venues from 50 to 100.

Auckland has spent more than a month at alert level four. 

“We are confident that there is no significant undetected transmission,” Jacinda said. “But, Delta does have a long, hard tail to it.”

Prime minister Jacinda Ardern said health authorities are confident there is no widespread community transmission of Covid-19. PHOTO: Supplied

She said at alert level three it was still possible to “stamp it out”.

The alert level decision comes shortly after the discovery of three community cases of Covid-19 in Waikato.

People who live in the vicinity of the new Waikato cases will go into a “bespoke” level four lockdown) until Friday (September 4) to prevent spread, the PM said.

She reiterated that vaccination levels will play a crucial role in containing Covid-19 in New Zealand and encouraged any Kiwis not yet vaccinated to make a booking.

“High vaccination rates will undoubtedly be a game changer for New Zealand,” the PM said.

The government’s “zero tolerance” approach to Covid-19 did not mean that zero cases would be required to reduce alert levels, she said, rather that any cases would be “aggressively” followed up.

The alert levels will be next reviewed on October 4.

PHOTO: Supplied