Covid 19 coronavirus: Aerial photo shows snaking queue at Auckland testing centre

There are no new community Covid-19 cases in New Zealand, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said.

Some Auckland testing centres were met with strong demand today after three new community cases of Covid-19 were reported yesterday.

More than 600 people were tested at Papatoetoe High School yesterday and hundreds more today.

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Newstalk ZB's William Terite spoke to a father outside the school this morning who said he was bringing his son in for a test to ensure his family was safe and to do their bit for the community.

The queue for Covid-19 testing at the Ōtara covid testing site at 12.30pm. Photo / South Seas Healthcare

There are no new Covid-19 cases in the community today after three were announced yesterday.

They are all household contacts. One is a recent school-leaver who works at Kmart Botany, which is now a location of interest.

Director-general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield said today it's "business as usual" with no community cases and there was no evidence that would lead him to advise Cabinet to raise alert levels.

Bloomfield said yesterday's news of new cases was "unsettling" but the Government's contact tracing system was working well.

Terite was at the Botany Covid-19 testing at midday today, where he said there were at least 60 vehicles in the queue.

One man said he'd been waiting for just over two hours, Terite said.

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Earlier today South Seas Healthcare provided an update on Ōtara Community Testing Centre on Facebook and posted a photo of a snaking queue of cars.

"Thanks to everyone who has come to get a test so far," it said.

#Update Ōtara Community Testing Centre As of 12.30pm, there is still a long queue - please be patient. Use entrance...

Posted by South Seas Healthcare on Tuesday, February 23, 2021