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National | Dr Ashley Bloomfield

Twelve new cases today

Another bounce down sees some 12 cases reported by the Ministry of Health today, ahead of the Prime Minister's 4pm presser.

All but two cases are epidemiologically linked to the current outbreak with investigations underway, all are in Auckland and it brings the total to 1,177.

948 people have recovered.

All cases have been in isolation at home or in a MIQ facility.

Seven of yesterday's 18 cases were in isolation during their infectious period. However, 10 were infectious in the community.

13 people remain in hospital, and four are in ICU.

The MoH is reporting one community case today that had previously been under investigation and is now confirmed, and is linked to the current outbreak. The case has now recovered.

The case spent 14 days in a quarantine facility along with household members who also tested positive for COVID-19.

Arrested woman tests positive

Meanwhile 1 News has reported that a woman who had been arrested had later tested positive for Covid-19.

This resulted in 10 police officers being stood down and part of Auckland's Watākere police station closed for deep cleaning.

The District Custody Unit based at the station is closed after a woman who was processed through the cells on September 23 subsequently tested positive for Covid-19, Inspector Jason Edwards said in a statement.

Police were notified of the positive case by Corrections on Sunday afternoon.

The woman was asymptomatic when she was arrested for a breach of bail and burglary-related offences and had undergone a health screening test before being brought into the unit, Edwards said.

"We are now working closely with Ministry of Health and our partners on this matter and have reviewed CCTV footage to check who has had contact with the woman. Due to this we now have 10 authorised officers who have been stood down to be tested and self-isolate for 14 days," he said.

The three officers who handled the initial arrest and brought the woman into the custody unit are also being tested and are self-isolating.

A number of results have already been returned, all of which are negative.

"Police are taking every precaution, which includes having a deep clean of the custody unit carried out today, Edwards said.

The custody unit is expected to reopen later today. In the meantime, all arrests requiring a person to be detained will be taken to the Auckland City District Custody Unit based at Mt Eden.

Vaccine update

Fully vaccinated numbers near the 2 million mark with 1,806,110 New Zealanders fully vaccinated. 3,239,791 people have received their first dose.

For Māori, 310,671 have received their first dose and 158,219 are fully vaccinated.

For Aucklanders, 1,177,179 people have received their first dose, while 46% of Aucklanders (661,141) are fully vaccinated.