The Government is extending the Alert Level 3 boundaries “out of an abundance of caution” after cases were found outside the existing borders on Wednesday.
The boundary will now include the districts of Waitomo (including Te Kuiti), Waipā, and Ōtorohanga. They will move to Alert Level 3 from 11.59pm Thursday.
The boundary in the west will follow the coast to Mokau, Pureora Forest Park in the east, then include Te Awamutu, Karāpiro, and Cambridge in the north to meet the areas already in Alert Level 3.
Hamilton Airport is also included in the extended boundary. Restrictions on travel by air will be in place.
People will only be able to travel out of the areas covered by Alert Level 3 for limited, permitted reasons. Most people who travel will need a Covid-19 test.
Travel out of the area by road is also restricted. Police will be carrying out patrols.
The boundary will now include the districts of Waitomo, Waipā and Ōtorohanga.
Areas already in Alert Level 3 include Raglan, Te Kauwhata, Huntly, Ngāruawāhia, and Hamilton City.
These areas will remain at that alert level until at least 11.59pm Monday.
Eased restrictions that apply to Auckland's Alert Level 3 will not apply in the Waikato.
Of Thursday's 29 new Covid-19 cases reported in the community, five are in Waikato and the rest are in Auckland. All five are linked.
While Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said it was “encouraging” that the cases were linked, caution was needed.
He said widespread testing and wastewater testing will take place in the region in the coming days.
"It will help us make an assessment on how long these restrictions need to remain in place for."
On Wednesday, one Covid-19 case was found in Kāwhia and another was detected in Karāpiro.
SHARE ME