New Zealand will move to alert level four at 11.59pm tonight (Tuesday August 17) following the news that a case of Covid-19 was discovered in the Auckland community earlier this afternoon. 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said it was likely the case was the more dangerous and infectious Delta variant of Covid-19 and - although genome sequencing would not confirm this until tomorrow morning - the government has made the lockdown decision under this assumption.

“Delta has been called a ‘game changer’ and it is,” the PM said at a media briefing this evening. 

“It means we need to again go hard and early to stop this spread. We have seen what can happen elsewhere if we fail to get on top of it.”

The lockdown will last three days across New Zealand but in Coromandel and Auckland it will likely last seven days. 

It was revealed earlier this afternoon there was a positive Covid-19 case in the community.

The case is a 58 year-old male from Devonport in Auckland’s North Shore and he tested positive after visiting a GP with symptoms yesterday (Monday August 16).

He and his wife, who has tested negative, visited Coromandel over the past weekend. Everyone who has visited Coromandel or Auckland during this time should visit the Ministry of Health website to check the locations identified.

“This case was identified in Auckland but it is a national issue,” director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said.

The Delta variant is potentially twice as contagious as the original Covid-19 strain and more liable to cause serious illness, the PM said.

Under alert level four members of the public can only leave their homes to exercise in their neighborhood; visit the supermarket or dairy; to receive necessary medical care; or to get a Covid-19 test.

Contract tracing is underway to identify the source of transmission.

PHOTOS: Supplied