Upper Hauraki has moved to Alert Level 3 in line with Auckland’s Alert Level change overnight.

This means residents in Upper Hauraki must adhere to the current Alert Level 3 restrictions.

In addition to the Alert Level 3 settings in place for Upper Hauraki, a section 70 Health Act direction remains in place. The section 70 was introduced on Monday to reduce the chance of any transmission of cases outside of the Upper Hauraki area.

The section 70 direction applies to anyone who lived or visited a household, worked indoors or attended an indoor gathering in the Upper Hauraki area between 8 September and 20 September, and who left the area before 7:30pm on 20 September. The section 70 direction does not apply to anyone who drove through the Upper Hauraki area during that time period and did not stop (or who only stopped at petrol stations or truck stops).

This means those covered by the section 70 direction must isolate at their place of residence and should monitor for symptoms. In addition, if any people have attended a specific Location of Interest as listed on the Ministry of Health’s website, they will have specific self-isolation requirements.
People who are subject to the section 70 notice are able to leave their place of isolation to get a COVID-19 test, access a health service, including to get a COVID-19 vaccine, or for any other reason if necessary to preserve their own or any other person’s life or safety.

For those people still living or working in the Upper Hauraki area, the Alert Level 3 restrictions apply and will be regularly reviewed.

Upper Hauraki’s move to Alert Level 3 has been made possible because of the community pulling together to follow the rules, get tested and keep each other safe. For instance, approximately 95 percent of contacts identified as part of the Mangitangi School exposure event have now been tested, with just six results pending. All results so far have been negative.

We are regularly reviewing these settings, based on public health advice and evidence of testing and compliance in the area, to make decisions on the next steps for Upper Hauraki and the people covered by the section 70 direction in the coming days.

At this stage, the requirements to isolate under the section 70 notice are in place until 11.59am this Friday morning (24 September)

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