A man in his 50s has escaped managed isolation in Hamilton.
He was staying at the Distinction Hotel in Te Rapa, and initial information suggests that he may have cut through fence ties to escape.
He arrived from Sydney on July 1. During his escape today he visited a liquor store, which has since cleaned its premises.
CCTV footage shows that he made no close contacts during his one-hour journey.
Since March 26, 27.723 people have gone through managed isolation.
The man tested negative for Covid-19 so will be able to appear in court today on escape-related charges without endangering the public.
The head of managed isolation and quarantine, Air Commodore Darryn Webb, has said "the full weight of the law" will come down on those who escape.
Police will now patrol quarantine sites, a move the police union has called a waste of resources.