A woman in her 90s has become New Zealand's first death from the Delta variant of COVID-19 and there are 20 new community cases, the Ministry of Health says.
There are forty-three people are currently in hospital, with seven receiving treatment in the ICU. The outbreak now stands at 782 cases.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed her condolences to the family and loved ones of the person who passed away from COVID-19 overnight.
"Every death is a reminder of the damage COVID-19 can cause when it gets into our community.
"Our older New Zealanders and those with underlying health issues are by far the most at risk from the virus and one of the reasons lockdowns are such an important tool to stop its spread."
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said: "On behalf of New Zealanders, I want to recognise this family's loss.
"This is a time for us all to offer our deep sympathy, while also respecting the family's privacy."
The woman's underlying health conditions and the state of her health meant it was not clinically appropriate for her to receive ventilator or ICU care.
What you need to know:
- A woman in her 90s has died from COVID
- Twenty new cases of COVID-19 were reported on Friday, all are in Auckland
Forty-three people are in hospital, seven of whom are in the ICU
The key points about COVID-19 alert level 3 can be found here
Click here for the latest locations of interest - a map can also be found here
These live updates are now over
3:30pm - Experts are warning Delta could easily spread through schools, buses, offices - even our MIQs - if ventilation systems aren't brought up to scratch urgently.
1:19pm: There are also two new cases at the border. One arrived from the Philippines on August 5 and the other arrived from the Philippines on August 15.
1:13pm: One person has died from COVID, The Ministry of Health announced.
There are also 20 new community cases of COVID-19 to report today, all in Auckland.
The death was a woman in her 90s in North Shore hospital who was a confirmed case of COVID-19. The woman had a number of underlying health conditions.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern expressed her condolences to the family and loved ones of the person who passed away from COVID-19 overnight.
"Every death is a reminder of the damage COVID-19 can cause when it gets into our community.
"Our older New Zealanders and those with underlying health issues are by far the most at risk from the virus and one of the reasons lockdowns are such an important tool to stop its spread."
Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said: "On behalf of New Zealanders, I want to recognise this family's loss.
"This is a time for us all to offer our deep sympathy, while also respecting the family's privacy."
The woman's underlying health conditions and the state of her health meant it was not clinically appropriate for her to receive ventilator or ICU care.
Her whānau was regularly updated and had the opportunity to speak with her regularly by phone. The whânau has been offered cultural support by the DHB.
The woman was admitted to hospital on August 28 from home. She was a household contact of a case and had been confirmed as a case before admission to hospital.
Message from her whānau:
"The whānau is devastated and shocked by the loss of their loved one and wish to thank all of the essential workers who have guided and helped them over the past few days."
A family member spoken with this morning urges everyone to take COVID-19 seriously and follow public health advice - his message for New Zealanders is simple: "This is real."
12:47pm: The Ministry of Health is expected to release new COVID-19 case numbers at 1pm.
12:30pm: So far almost 230,000 Māori people have received their first vaccine dose, and nearly 120,000 their second, Henare told Newshub Nation.
12:28pm: Experts are warning over 40,000 border workers and their families could need a booster shot by November as evidence mounts that their protection against COVID-19 is waning.
"Our essential workers at the borders, their immunity goes away. And we don't know whether they're gonna be protected against infection and transmitting infection," Malaghan Institute immunologist Professor Graham Le Gros told Newshub Nation.
"Until we get everyone jabbed in this country, we are a ticking time bomb."
Earlier Associate Minister of Health for Māori health Peeni Henare was unable to guarantee border workers would get a booter before the end of the year.
Read the full story here.
12:22pm: Henare also defended the Government's vaccine rollout amid criticism it was too slow.
This week the Prime Minister warned vaccines might need to slow back to the original plan after several days of sky-high vaccination rates. Australia, which is facing similar issues, has managed to secure an extra four million vaccine doses from the United Kingdom.
When asked by Newshub's Tova O'Brien why Aoteroa hasn't done the same, Henare said the rollout is on schedule.
"We are working with Pfizer and Minister Chris Hipkins has been quite clear we have some challenges and we are working with our international partners to secure more supply. But we know too if we look towards October there will be large supply coming into the country."
Henare said the Government is working hard to secure the necessary vaccine supply.
12:12pm: Associate Minister of Health for Māori health Peeni Henare told Newshub Nation he cannot guarantee all border workers will have a booster vaccine shot by the end of the year.
It comes after experts strongly recommended frontline staff get the booster vaccines to ensure they are protected against Delta.
But Henare said he is working with COVID-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins and Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern to ensure Māori get "equitable outcomes".
"For my part, of course, there are the frontline workers… but of course, I've got to focus on our Māori community and we will be making sure we observe this to make sure we have an equitable outcome for Māori."
11:55am - Several new locations of interest have been released.
The new locations are:
Pak'nSave Westgate -17 Fred Taylor Drive, Westgate, Auckland. Friday 20 August 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Pak'nSave Clendon - 16 Robert Ross Place, Clendon Park, Auckland. Sunday 22 August 10:30 am - 11:45 am
Pak'nSave Sylvia Park - Sylvia Park, 286 Mount Wellington Highway, Mt Wellington, Auckland. Thursday 19 August 12:00 pm - 12:15 pm
Pak'nSave Royal Oak - 691 Manukau Road, Royal Oak, Auckland. Wednesday 18 August 6:45 pm - 8:30 pm
Pak'nSave Manukau - 6 Cavendish Drive, Manukau, Auckland 2104. Wednesday 18 August 8:00 pm - 8:30 pm and Thursday 19 August 1:39 pm - 2:10 pm
Pak'nSave Manukau - 6 Cavendish Drive, Manukau, Auckland. Saturday 21 August 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm
Pak'nSave Mt Albert - 1167 New North Road, Mount Albert, Auckland. Wednesday 18 August 8:00 pm - 8:15 pm
Pak'nSave Kilbirnie - 78 Rongotai Road, Kilbirnie, Wellington. Wednesday 18 August 7:25 am - 7:40 am and Thursday 19 August 12:10 pm - 12:25 pm
Countdown Botany Downs - Corner Te Irirangi & Te Rakau Drives, Botany Downs, Auckland. Saturday 28 August 9:26 am - 10:00 am
Countdown Three Kings - 532 Mount Albert Road, Mount Albert, Auckland. Tuesday 31 August 3:15 pm - 3:30 pm
Pak'nSave Lincoln Road - Lincoln Road, Shopping Centre., Henderson, Auckland. Friday 27 August 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
GILMOURS MANUKAU - 77 Cavendish Drive, Papatoetoe, Auckland. Wednesday 25 August 12:17 pm - 1:15 pm
Pak N Save Kilbirnie - 78 Rongotai Road, Kilbirnie, Wellington. Wednesday 18 August 7:25 am - 7:40 am and Thursday 19 August 12:10 pm - 12:25 pm
PAK'nSAVE Royal Oak - 691 Manukau Road, Royal Oak, Auckland. Wednesday 18 August 6:45 pm - 8:30 pm
Pak n Save Mt Albert - 1167 New North Road, Mount Albert, Auckland. Wednesday 18 August 8:00 pm - 8:15 pm
Pak n Save Manukau - 6 Cavendish Drive, Manukau, Auckland. Wednesday 18 August 8:00 pm - 8:30 pm
Mayfair Supermarket - 29 Mayfair Place, Glen Innes, Auckland. Saturday 28 August 2:46 pm - 4:05 pm
11:39am: As everywhere outside of Auckland enjoys the weekend in alert level 3 here's a reminder of what is and isn't allowed.
Level 3 has been dubbed lockdown with takeaways because not much changes. But there is good news, along with takeaways Kiwis in level 3 can slightly expand their bubbles if needed.
A full list of the rules can be found here.
11:30am: It seems COVID-19 might not just make you lose your sense of smell and taste temporarily.
A new study shows while many people who lose their sense of smell due to COVID-19 eventually regain it, some survivors later report smell distortions and unexplained smells.
Researchers analyzed survey responses from 1468 individuals who had been diagnosed with COVID-19 between April and September 2020 and had suffered loss of smell and taste at the start of their illness.
Early on, about 10 percent also reported smell distortions, or parosmia, and unexplained smells, known as phantosmia.
At an average of six to seven months after becoming ill and first reporting loss of smell, roughly 60 percent of women and 48 percent of men had regained less than 80 percent of their pre-illness smell ability, and rates of smell distortions and imaginary smells had increased.
Read more here.
11:10am: A woman and her baby have been moved to another room at their managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facility in Auckland after complaining about urine on the toilet seat and hair in her bath.
Management at the Sudima Hotel Auckland Airport have also apologised to the woman and undertaken a cleaning audit - but they insist the normal sanitisation protocols were followed.
Read the full story here.
11:00am: The Government has quietly made it more difficult to get a mask exemption card, with Kiwis now required to apply through a disability organisation amid concerns they were being misused.
Under all COVID-19 alert levels, masks are required to be worn in certain settings. But there are exceptions - children under the age of 12 don't have to wear a mask, nor those with illnesses, conditions or disabilities that make the wearing of one unsuitable.
Read the full story here.
