Covid 19 coronavirus: More than 4 per cent of Auckland population tested since February 14

Name: Our year of Covid: from first case to lockdown 4.0
Uploaded: 2021-02-28T23:31:12+13:00
Duration: 716 s
Description: From New Zealand's first Covid-19 case on February 28 2020 to entering another alert level 3 lockdown on February 28 2021 - here's a timeline of the milestones and setbacks we've all endured. Video / NZ Herald

NZ Herald

1 Mar, 2021 07:22 AM3 mins to read

From New Zealand's first Covid-19 case on February 28 2020 to entering another alert level 3 lockdown on February 28 2021 - here's a timeline of the milestones and setbacks we've all endured. Video / NZ Herald

More than 70,000 community Covid-19 tests have been carried out in the metro Auckland area since the Valentine's Day outbreak, which has infected 15 people in two weeks.

That's more than 4 per cent of the city's population getting a swab since February 14.

Nearly 4000 of those tests were carried out at 10 dedicated community testing centres on Sunday after the city was plunged into lockdown for the second time since the outbreak began.

There was also strong demand at testing centres today.

Northern Region Health Co-ordination Centre lead and Counties Manukau Health chief executive Margie Apa said those that had a test when they needed one were playing their part in keeping the community safe.

"[They are] helping build confidence that if there are any cases in the community, they will be quickly detected," Apa said.

Testing locations will remain open all week.

"We have ensured the geographic spread of testing locations has met the needs of the community, so it's easy to find a testing centre," Apa said.

"Given recent positive cases, it is more important than ever that we have a low threshold for testing.

"If you have symptoms that could indicate Covid, please don't delay in having a test. The same applies if you have attended any of the locations of interest, on the specified dates and times connected to the recent positive cases in South Auckland."

She encouraged anyone with the following symptoms to get a test:

• New or worsening cough