Up to 50 people are being treated as casual contacts of a woman with Covid-19 symptoms who sparked a lockdown at Hamilton District Court.

The lockdown was triggered shortly before 10am and was lifted at around 11:20am, when members of the public were allowed out again.

People who were inside have been told they can go home and that they are only casual contacts so don't have to do any mandatory quarantine at home.

A source has told the Herald that a woman who works at a Hamilton managed isolation facility had recently had a Covid-19 test because she displayed symptoms. She was still awaiting her test results but turned up at court today anyway.

During the lockdown there were about 40 to 50 people stuck in the court.

The source believed the woman had appeared in the registrar's court earlier this morning.

A dozen people are waiting outside the court - with up to 50 inside. Photo / Belinda Feek

One Hamilton woman, stuck outside during the lockdown, said she was baffled to see the court house front door's shut in front of her.

She went to court with her son who was about 10 meters ahead of her. He had walked inside and through security when she heard him say "Mum, you can't come in".

"I looked at him and said 'why?' And then two security staff said the building was in lockdown."

Six cases in managed isolation

There were six new cases of Covid-19 in managed isolation announced yesterday - including two from the United Kingdom where a new strain of the virus is spreading rapidly.

There are no new cases in the community.

Of the new border cases:|

• One case arrived on 2 January from the United Kingdom via Qatar and Australia. This person tested positive on day 0/1 of routine testing and is in the Auckland quarantine facility.
  • One case arrived on 31 December from the United States of America. This person tested positive during routine testing around day 3 and is in a Christchurch quarantine facility.
  • One case arrived on 29 December from the United Kingdom via the United Arab Emirates and tested positive at day six. This person is in the Auckland quarantine facility.
  • One case arrived on 27 December from Switzerland via the United Arab Emirates and tested positive at day six. This person is in the Auckland quarantine facility.
  • One case arrived on 22 December from South Africa via Qatar. • One case arrived on 19 December from India via the United Arab Emirates. This person was a close contact of a confirmed case and tested positive at day 15. They are in the Auckland quarantine facility.