A daily wrap of all the main developments in the Covid-19 Delta outbreak as New Zealand is plunged into lockdown for the fifth time. Video / NZ Herald
Aucklanders were again up early and travelling to their nearest Covid testing station.
As the number of Covid-19 cases and locations of interest steadily rise, residents are continuing to do their bit and getting tested.
Forty-one new cases were announced today - bringing the country's total to 148.
Queues hadwaned in the North Shore - the initial centre of the outbreak - but those in the south and west are now forced to get tested as the Ministry of Health continues to release more hot spots.
The latest of the now 421 locations of interest - from August 14 - include Remuera's Upland Liquor, Pak'nSave Royal Oak, Wiri Timber, Crave Cafe, Bunnings Mt Roskill, Revive Vegan Cafe Auckland CBD, Countdown Māngere Mall and Māngere East as well as West Liquor Green Bay, Pizza Club Avondale, Caltex Blockhouse Bay and Buses 001 and 041.
At Balmoral, St Lukes and Mangere some people began turning up to the testing site as early as 5am.
Otara was also having a quiet day, with 600 people having been swabbed by 2pm.
"Today is a big change from the last few days," said Dr Andrew Chan-Mow, clinical director of South Seas Healthcare, who runs the testing site.
Sally Mutt works for a catering company that delivers meals for MIQ guests.
She was now classified as a close contact of a positive case.
Mutt and Joe Locke lined up yesterday at the Balmoral testing station but were turned away when it started having connectivity issues preventing staff from accessing registration networks.
They said the line was much shorter today so they're hoping for a test.
They came prepared with food and water.
The flow of cars was more steady this morning at the Māngere pop-up community testing centre on Mascot Ave, compared with yesterday.
Around 80 cars were lined up just after 11am and four testing stations were open.
The first people arrived at 5am. Music was played and staff thanked people as they left, creating a relaxed environment.
Among those waiting is a De La Salle College student who is in the same year at the school as a positive case.
Abdiel Vea said his friends at school were scared.
The Catholic school for boys has thousands of pupils. His bubble had six other people in it. Vea said online learning was going well and he was keeping up with it.
Reminder Whānau ‼️If you are coming to the Vaccine Centre please follow the pink lines in the map below. DO NOT ✋ line up on Railside Ave or Dora Street. This is for the Covid Testing Station.
Meanwhile, cars at the St Luke's testing centre were already snaking from St Luke's Rd down to New North Rd about 9.30am. It was understood the first cars arrived at 5am.
Another walk-in, Lucia Steadman, is a fully vaccinated nurse who has cold and flu symptoms.
She said she's worried about infecting someone else.
At Avondale, the testing centre was having its quietest day yet, staff told the Herald.
The line of cars would normally be stretched down Elm St and Rosebank Rd but it had been moving quickly and was contained within the Avondale Racecourse grounds.
