Auckland will move to alert level two from midnight Wednesday (September 23) and the rest of New Zealand will move to alert level one from midnight tonight (Monday September 21), prime minister Jacinda Ardern announced this afternoon.

The PM said New Zealanders’ collective actions have “brought the virus under control”.

Auckland has been at level 2.5 for three weeks. There have been no new cases linked to the original Auckland cluster for seven days, and testing shows the virus has not spread beyond Auckland and the few cases in Tokoroa, the PM said.

Auckland will stay at level two for 14 days, she said, and she asked people from Auckland who are moving around the country to “please take your alert level settings with you”.

For the rest of New Zealand, the PM said, people must also remain vigilant.

She reminded people to stay home if sick, practice good hygiene, use the government’s COVID tracer app, and to consider wearing masks for regional travel.

Masks must also be worn on airplanes going to, from, or through Auckland.

A major factor required before a “full return to normal” is a vaccine, the PM said. 

Ministers have agreed to an option to purchase approved COVID-19 vaccines for up to 50 per cent of the NZ population via the global COVAX committee, with an initial $20M investment.

“This will not be the only agreement we will enter into,” she said, adding that “cabinet has set aside hundreds of millions of dollars for our vaccine strategy”.

Director general of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield also reported there are no new cases of COVID-19 to report in New Zealand today.

He gave an update on the case reported on Saturday: the man who is a recent returnee from India who completed his stay in managed isolation and has subsequently tested positive for COVID-19.

After completing the 14 days in managed isolation, and returning two negative tests, he remained alert to his health. He immediately self-isolated, sought advice and got a test and the whole family self-isolated when he became unwell. 

“Everyone who has been through a managed isolation facility on their return to New Zealand should remain conscious of their health, as indeed should all New Zealanders. If you have any symptoms of COVID-19, seek advice from your GP or Healthline on getting a test.”

He said how the man became infected is still under investigation.

“Modelling shows us that the scenario that presents the lowest risk of anyone getting through managed isolation and having an infection is a 14 day stay, plus testing at day three and day 12, along with very strong infection prevention and control procedures. That is the system we have,” he said.

There are 40 people isolating in the Auckland quarantine facility from the community, which includes 17 people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and their household contacts.

Three people are in hospital with COVID-19 – one each at Auckland City, Middlemore and North Shore hospitals. All three patients are in isolation on a general ward.

There are nine previously reported cases that are now considered to have recovered from COVID-19.

The total number of active cases is 62 - of those, 29 are imported cases in MIQ facilities, and 33 are community cases.

The total number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 remains at 1,464.

PHOTO: Supplied