There are 52 confirmed with 30 probable cases of Covid-19, Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield says. That brings the total number of confirmed and probable cases in New Zealand to 950.
Aucklanders keen to bask in Saturday's glorious weather were greeted by a police presence at some of the city's most popular beaches.
Officers could be seen patrolling the St Heliers and Kohimarama shorelines one day after all water-based activities were officially banned in new guidelines released on the Government's Covid-19 website on Friday.
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Police talk to members of the public on Tamaki Drive on Saturday. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
The notice to all persons in New Zealand stated people were not permitted to leave home to hunt, tramp, swim or take part in other water based activities, such as surfing and boating.
Kiwis were also banned from doing any other activity that exposed them to danger or which may require help from rescue services.
The Game Animal Council said it had earlier given "consistent guidance" hunting - like many other recreational activities - should not be undertaken during the level 4 lockdown, but that the new law no longer left any doubt.
"Under this order, the police have the power to do anything reasonably necessary to enforce compliance, including using the power of arrest," council general manager Tim Gale said.
Groups of Aucklanders pass by cyclists and joggers along Tamaki Drive. Photo / Sylvie Whinray
Police had earlier come under criticism for failing to check in on recently arrived Kiwi citizens and residents to ensure they were adequately self-isolating in their homes.
But with Auckland bathing in blue skies and temperatures up to 23C on Saturday, officers made sure they were visible on city streets in a bid to deter anyone seeking to flout social distancing or exercise rules on Day 10 of the lockdown.
Police said they were not aware of any beaches being closed to the public, but that they had regularly patrolled them since the country moved into alert level 4.
Police recognised nearby residents would be walking past the beaches for their daily exercise and only asked that they maintain a safe distance from others while doing so, the force said.
"Our focus to date has been on engaging and educating the public on the restrictions as part of alert level 4," police said in a statement.
"We urge people to take the situation seriously and adhere to these restrictions."
It comes as Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her Cabinet ministers were set to get new advice this week about whether the lockdown - which has been in place since 11.59pm on March 25 - should be pushed out for longer than the planned four weeks.
Director-General of Health Ashley Bloomfield said on Saturday there had been a flattening off in new coronavirus cases, but that he would like to see if that continued over the next two or three days.
Based on that outcome, he would then advise Cabinet week about whether the lockdown should be extended.
"It may well be it [Covid-19] has peaked now," he said.
"The number of cases does seem to be levelling off."
