Focus Live: 68 new Covid-19 community cases - 277 in total
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There are 68 new Delta cases in New Zealand today, bringing the overall total of the Covid outbreak to 277 people. 263 are in Auckland and 14 are in Wellington.
NOW PLAYING • Focus Live: 68 new Covid-19 community cases - 277 in total
You wouldn't be wrong thinking there were more vehicles driving past the home office this lockdown compared to the first in March last year.
There has been a 23 per cent increase in Tauranga traffic volume during this level 4 lockdown compared to the one in early 2020.
"On a usual day, Tauranga's traffic volume is classed as running at 100 per cent," Tauranga City Council general manager of infrastructure Nic Johannson said.
"From Wednesday 18 through to Sunday, August 22, 2021, that dropped to 26 per cent. In comparison, during the first five days of the 2020 lockdown, it was at 21 per cent." STORY CONTINUES BELOW LIVE BLOG
STORY CONTINUES Travel during level 4 is severely limited, with travel only permitted for personal movement for tasks such as getting food or medicine, to get tested or vaccinated, or essential workers going to work.
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Noise complaints in Tauranga decreased during the first five days of lockdown compared to the same time amount of time in lockdown last year.
Marine Parade in Mount Maunganui. Photo / George Novak
However, Johannson said complaints typically varied depending on the time of year, which events were on and what the weather was doing — sunnier days tended to get a higher number of complaints.
"From Wednesday 18 through to Sunday, August 22, 2021, we received a total of 64 complaints," Johannson said.
"In comparison, during the first five days of the 2020 lockdown, we received 113 complaints.
"The number of noise complaints doesn't necessarily correlate to people being compliant [or] non-compliant with lockdown rules."
Last week, a police spokeswoman said officers were regularly undertaking "reassurance patrols and checkpoints" to ensure people were not travelling for non-essential reasons.
On Wednesday last week, Waikato Police stopped 300 vehicles and at least 100 were stopped and turned around from Manaia in Coromandel, she said.
Police had observed fewer vehicles on the roads during lockdown but the spokeswoman said referred the query to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency.
Amohau St in Rotorua on Wednesday, last week. Photo / Andrew Warner
NZTA was not able to provide Bay of Plenty specific data, nor comparisons between the two lockdowns, but said traffic volumes had declined significantly following the move to alert level 4.
NZTA witnessed higher than usual Tuesday afternoon peak traffic on Auckland state highways last week, the day lockdown was announced.
"There was also a steady flow of traffic observed leaving Wellington City up until 10pm on Tuesday night," a spokesperson said.
People flock to Maunganui Beach during lockdown. Photo / George Novak
"As expected, traffic volumes on all state highways were much lower [on Wednesday] morning compared to a normal weekday morning."
Rotorua Lakes Council civil defence emergency management controller Stavros Michael said there had been only a small amount of traffic during level 4.
"Overall, as expected, there has been a significantly reduced amount of traffic on the roads in Rotorua during alert level 4, compared to during alert level 1."
State highway traffic volumes, compared between August 11 and August 18:
• Auckland - a 67.2 per cent drop in light traffic and a 61.5 per cent drop for heavy traffic. Overall drop of 66.9 per cent.
• Wellington - a 73.2 per cent drop in light traffic and a 55.8 per cent drop for heavy traffic. Overall drop of 72.6 per cent.
• Christchurch - a 72.2 per cent drop in light traffic and a 59.5 per cent drop for heavy traffic. Overall drop of 71.8 per cent.
• Hamilton - a 65.5 per cent drop in light traffic and a 42.4 per cent drop for heavy traffic. Overall drop of 63.4 per cent.
• Dunedin - a 71.2 per cent drop in light traffic and a 64.4 per cent drop for heavy traffic. Overall drop of 70.6 per cent.
Public transport patronage, compared between August 11 and August 18:
• Auckland – a reduction in public transport use of 93.8 per cent from the previous week.
• Wellington – a reduction in public transport use of 95.5 per cent from the previous week.
• Christchurch - a reduction in public transport use of 92.5 per cent from the previous week.
