Covid 19 coronavirus Delta outbreak: PM urges students to be 'especially mindful' of AUT outbreak locations

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and Director General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is urging students and staff at AUT to be "especially mindful" of locations of interest as the sub-cluster grows to 20 cases.

Ardern and director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield revealed 83 new cases today, with just one coming from Wellington, the rest in Auckland.

There are seven sub-clusters - the Mangere church one has 237, Birkdale social club is on 68.

There are 34 people in hospital.

However, the AUT cluster now sits on 20 cases and a wide ranging area of the campus has locations of interest.

Ardern said today she wanted people to be "especially mindful of" those locations.

"This is a difficult location to contact trace, but we do know it has resulted in 20 cases, thus far.

"Please, if you're connected to AUT, look up the locations of interest for the site and follow the public health advice.

"It clearly sets out the different parts of the campus we're particularly mindful of. And we need people to come forward for testing."

The locations of interest listed on the Ministry of Health website are:

• North campus,

• City campus,

• Level 3 library city campus,

• South campus,

• City campus lecture WT214,

• City campus WZ building level 3 balcony,

• City campus WZ building level 4 room WZ419,

• City campus WZ building computer room WZ602,

• City campus WS building room WS416,

• City campus WH building L1 all public spaces,

• City campus student lounge WC203,

• City campus L7 all public spaces,

• City campus library levels 4, 5, 6 and 7

• Wellesley St East campus, Strategic dynamics class WH125

Bloomfield said they expected to see the current high number of cases continue over the next few days.

This was largely because of the large number of household contacts and more infectious nature of Delta.

This was not concerning nor unexpected. It would be concerning if they started seeing more cases in the community, he said.

Ardern said on the cases reported yesterday more than 75 per cent were cases of known contacts. More than half were household contacts.

Only two cases were considered infectious before level 4 restrictions came in.

Of these, 25 had exposure events outside the household. These tended to be essential and non public-facing workplace sites.

A small number of workplaces had had transmission within staff - four to date.