Mayor Cameron said that the inevitable increase in the number of confirmed cases in districts neighbouring Ruapehu highlights the importance of people staying at home and strictly within their immediate bubble of people.

“The announcement of one more confirmed case and one probable case of COVID-19 in the Whanganui Region is most likely to be start of many more positive cases as testing is stepped-up,” he said.

“Anyone not taking self-isolation requirements seriously are putting their whole community at risk and the likelihood that the current Level 4 restrictions could go on a whole lot longer.

The length of time we need to live with the current restrictions is up to all of us.

If we do not all support the restrictions and stay home the price will be high in terms of lives lost and on our future prosperity.

The Prime Minister has signalled that breaches of measures put in place to respond to COVID- 19 will not be tolerated.

The current state of national emergency helps to enable the enforcement of these measures.

I think that people ignoring the ‘Stay at Home in Your Bubble’ requirements will soon find the wider community increasingly frustrated and angry with them.

If you are aware of people who are breaking the restrictions please us the Police on-line form to report this from www.police.govt.nz/105support.”

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