January 29, 2021
No sign of COVID community transmission
Director General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says there is no evidence of community transmission of COVID-19 in Auckland or Northland.
Almost 4000 tests have been conducted since Sunday when the first of three cases was detected of people who picked up the more infectious South African variant of the coronavirus shortly before leaving managed isolation at Auckland’s Pullman Hotel.
Dr Bloomfield says almost two percent of Northland’s population has been tested.
He says the recommendation is the country remains on alert level one, and there is no recommendation for restrictions on events or travel.
People need to remain alert and continue to scan the COVID-19 app and to take basic hygiene measures like washing their hands and staying home or getting tested if they feel unwell.
Northern iwi leaders have already scaled back events, including taking the Iwi Leaders Forum online, and the Māori and National parties say they won’t travel north for next week’s Waitangi Day commemorations.
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