There are nine new cases of Covid-19 today eight of which are community cases. Video / Mark Mitchell
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern acknowledged the "frankly terrible year" 2020 has been, as she extended Auckland's level 3 restrictions.
Ardern today announced Auckland would remain at a level 3 lockdown until midnight on Sunday at least, with the rest of the country to remain in level 2.
Thoseextra days would allow Auckland to move down to level 2 when it was appropriate, she said.
But she acknowledged that the second round of level 3 has been tough for some, a reminder that Covid-19 was ever present in the world.
"It's been a hard year for Christchurch who has fresh reminders of that this week," as the gunman responsible for the Christchurch terror attacks is sentenced at the Christchurch High Court.
"It's been a hard year for Auckland, it's been a hard year for drought-stricken and flood-ridden parts of the country.
"We have made a choice, and we have a clear plan that means we can get through however long this pandemic is in the world, and keep as much normality, including for our economy, as possible.
"We have done that for 6 months already, and we can keep doing it."
Over the next seven days, and the next several weeks, more cases of Covid-19 will emerge in New Zealand, Ardern said.
But it will be met with thousands of tests, hundreds of workers contact tracing, and people doing their part to stamp out the virus.
Ardern urged people to continue to do their bit to limit the spread of the coronavirus: to wash their hands, to stay home and get a test for the virus if they fall ill, to download and use the NZ Covid tracer app and to keep a log of where they have been.
