Covid 19 Delta outbreak: Jacinda Ardern to hold press conference to address Northland outbreak

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern visits Te Runanga o Ngati Pikiao in Rotorua. 07 October 2021 The Daily Post Photograph by Andrew Warner.

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern is expected to address the Northland Covid-19 outbreak.

Ardern will be fronting the media from Ruatōria on the East Coast where she is currently promoting the Government's vaccine push.

The Herald will bring you live updates of the press conference.

The media stand up will be conducted at half time at the women's rugby game between Ngāti Porou East Coast Women's and Eastern Bay of Plenty at Hikurangi Sports Field.

Since October 7, the Prime Minister has ​been travelling throughout the North Island to support local Covid-19 vaccination drives across Rotorua, Murupara, Wairoa, Flaxmere, Hastings, Gisborne, and Ruatoria.

Northland goes to level 3

The Prime Minister's press conference comes after Northland was put into level 3 lockdown at midnight last night after a Covid-19 positive case was uncovered.

Ministers early last evening held an emergency meeting where they placed Northland into level 3 until midnight Tuesday. That decision, plus whether Auckland restrictions could be loosened, will be debated on Monday.

Today, public health experts warned against any move to further loosen restrictions in Auckland next week.

Covid-19 modeller Michael Plank - speaking after 44 new cases were confirmed, including 41 in Auckland and three in the Waikato - warned against any thought of easing up on Auckland.

"It does already look like cases are trending upwards, so I think relaxing further at this stage would be a real risk that you'd see cases spiral out of control," Plank said.

The warnings come as former Deputy Prime Minister Winston Peters has appeared on national television this morning to allege the woman at the centre of Northland's snap move to level 3 is connected to the Mongrel Mob. The claims - laughed off by a Mongrel Mob leader - have not been confirmed by officials.

Cabinet will meet on Monday to discuss any potential changes in Covid-19 levels.

Whāngārei mayor Sheryl Mai said another change in alert level was "unacceptable" and that it would hurt businesses and holidaymakers that had flown from other parts of New Zealand during the school holidays.

And Mai told RNZ she was "actually quite grumpy".

"We've got a person who really has done everything that they should not do. And they've impacted all of Northland as a result.

"I was giving the person the benefit of the doubt earlier today. Now I'm just ropeable."

Meanwhile, plans to erect a checkpoint north of Whangārei are being discussed following the revelation the women travelled throughout the region recently.

Late yesterday, Tai Tokerau Border Control spokesman Hone Harawira confirmed the group had been working with Northland police to stand up a checkpoint at Waiomio - about 30 minutes north of Whangārei before Kawakawa, known as the entrance to the Far North.