Auckland

Vaccination Programme Leader Sarah Hartnall says the vans can travel to places where the vaccination buses can't.

"Access is really good for most people in Auckland. For some people it's hard and they might live rurally, they might have other access barriers.”

She says “these vaccination vans are about going to them and being able to go out on the little roads that our busses aren't able to get on."

Pacific, Maori and primary care providers picked up eleven of the so-called vaxi vans, and another thirty are set to go into action soon.

There were 56 cases in the city yesterday, the highest since 1 September, with three in Waikato and one in the Bay of Plenty.

But there was also hope, as first-dose vaccination rates hit 86 percent.

Covid-19 modeller professor Shaun Hendy said as cases trend upwards, the outbreak was at a critical point.

"It is possible that we could end up in the triple digits so that's something that the government should be considering and it should be developing a plan for what happens ... because that will put real strain on the health system in Auckland," he said.

The Assembly of God Church of Samoa is the focus of the country's largest sub-cluster of the Delta outbreak.

The country's latest victim of Covid-19 was a deacon at the Assemblies of God Church of Sāmoa.

The 50-year-old man died at Auckland's Middlemore Hospital this week after 40 days in intensive care.

His wife is also battling the virus in hospital.

Dr Maryann Heather at South Seas Healthcare in Ōtara said it's been devastating to see the impacts on the families first hand.

The 'Rally Your Village' initiative wrapped up at Auckland's Vodafone Events Centre yesterday, with more than 7000 people immunised over six days.

More events in the community are being organised, and former All Black Bradley Mika is among some of the sports stars making calls to encourage the unvaccinated to get a jab.

Former Manu Samoa halfback Junior Poluleuligaga is doing his bit to get the rugby community in south Auckland vaccinated.

It has been almost two months since Auckland, Counties-Manukau and North Harbour have played in the competition because of Covid-19 restrictions.

The decision comes after government declined New Zealand Rugby's third travel exemption application to get the teams out of the region.

The NPC season will continue with the 11 provincial unions outside of the Auckland region, and NZR has confirmed there are plans to set up a separate Super City Series for the three Auckland teams once they are able to resume playing.

Ardern announced the changes for people who may need to cross the Auckland boundary at today's media briefing on the Delta outbreak.

There are eight new cases of Covid-19 in the community today and four in managed isolation.

Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield also spoke at the briefing.

Ardern says from 11.59pm tonight, people will be able to leave Auckland into a level 2 environment if they:

In a statement the Health Ministry said there are now a total of 1177 community cases associated with the latest outbreak of the Delta variant of the virus.

All of the latest cases were identified in Auckland.

The ministry said one of today's community cases had previously been under investigation and is now confirmed and linked to the current outbreak. "The case has now recovered. The case spent 14 days in a quarantine facility along with household members who also tested positive for Covid-19."

Mt Eden, Massey, Māngere, Favona, Ōtara, Papatoetoe and Manurewa are under increased scrutiny by health officials because of their links to mystery cases or clusters that may have unexpected cases.

Counties Manukau District Health Board chief executive Margie Apa said it was most important they get tested if they had symptoms – but they also wanted people without symptoms to come forward.

St John said two patients in a critical condition have been taken to Auckland City hospital, one patient in a moderate condition has been taken to Waitakere Hospital and one patient in a moderate condition has been taken to Middlemore Hospital

Heavily armed police and ambulances are at the scene at LynnMall in New Lynn.

Police said the incident is still unfolding, but can confirm that a man has entered a supermarket and injured multiple people.

He was located by police and shot, and has died at the scene.

Photo RNZ 

There are 10 cases in the community and almost 70 locations of interest in Auckland and Coromandel.

Shopping malls, bars and cinemas across Auckland have been added to the Ministry of Health list of locations of interest meaning potentially thousands of people are now considered contacts.

Last night, malls in Albany and New Lynn, and supermarkets in different parts of Auckland were added.

So far, the earliest potential exposure site dates back two weeks to 3 August.