There are three new cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand today in isolation facilities among people returning from India and Italy.
It comes as the minister in charge of the facilities says people escaping managed isolation are committing a "reckless act" of selfishness.
"We will come down on them with the full weight of the law. They are putting New Zealanders at risk. Frankly, they don't deserve to join the team of five million," Minister Megan Woods said.
There will be a permanent police presence at every facility 24/7, Woods said.
Asked about people at facilities being abused by the public during their outdoor walks, Woods said returnees were dealing with stressful situations.
"They deserve our love and our support, but the public has a right to expect everyone in those facilities are following the rules, and the vast majority are doing that."
New cases
The first case is a woman in her 20s who arrived in New Zealand on July 3 from India. She has been staying in managed isolation at the Stamford Plaza in Auckland.
The second case is a man in his 30s who returned on July 4 from Italy. He is staying in isolation at the Commodore Hotel in Christchurch.
The third case is a man in his 20s who arrived in New Zealand on July 3 from India. He has been staying in isolation at the Stamford Plaza in Auckland.
It has been 69 days since the last case of Covid-19 was acquired locally from an unknown source, the Ministry of Health said.
Two previously reported cases have now recovered, which brings the total number of active cases to 24.
"There is no one in New Zealand receiving hospital-level care for Covid-19," the ministry said.
"Yesterday our laboratories completed 3089 tests. That brings the total number of tests completed to date to 422,144."
Despite having no new community cases for 69 days the ministry today warned this "does not mean we can afford to be complacent".
"We need every New Zealander to remain vigilant to the threat that COVID-19 poses to our country.
"We need everyone to be keeping a record of their movements and the app is an easy way to do that."
The public is still encouraged to scan in when there are QR codes on display when they were out and about.
Escapee's tour of central Auckland
On Tuesday, a 32-year-old man sneaked away from The Stamford Plaza in the evening, despite being seen by a security guard who thought he was a contract worker.
He returned to the hotel 70 minutes later after buying grooming supplies from a nearby Countdown supermarket, which has re-opened after being cleaned.
Air Commodore Darryn Webb said the man left the Stamford Plaza at 6.51pm on Tuesday via the fence section at the smoking area, walked indirectly to Countdown where he arrived at 7.02pm, spent 20 minutes at the supermarket, and then took a phone call for 22 minutes.
The call ended at 7.42pm, and the man then took an indirect route back to hotel, arriving at 7.58pm.
He walked along Albert St, Customs St East, Queen St and Victoria St West.
Woods said Countdown had cleaned areas on Tuesday night in the supermarket where the man had been, and had decided to close for a period yesterday following advice, but not instruction, from health officials.
Woods said why Countdown had reopened on Wednesday was a question for Countdown, but health officials had been in touch from just after 7am on Wednesday morning.
She said her advice was that Countdown had closed between 9.30pm and 10pm on Tuesday night, and an email at 7.57am on Wednesday morning informed of the decision to keep the store closed. The man's positive Covid test didn't come back until two hours later.
"Our understanding at that time was that the store was closed for a deep clean."
Asked why the Ministry of Health wasn't more involved in communication with Countdown about staying closed, Webb said the whole operation was complex because many agencies are involved.
"There needs to be a standard operating procedures that brings together all the key agencies," Woods said.
Woods said absconders were new and standard procedures for what to do in future situations were being looked at.
Procedures were already in place and police were immediately called when the man escaped, she said.
"We are taking this very seriously. We need to protect New Zealanders."
Police guarding hotels
Webb said a uniformed police officer will now be on-site at each facility 24/7, which would help ensure compliance.
There were 5648 people in quarantine and managed isolation facilities at the moment, he said.
He said 99.97 per cent of people who had been through quarantine and managed isolation facilities since lockdown had followed the rules.
"Our job is to make sure the law is backed up by as many preventative measures as practicable."
Contracted guards were on site and there were also dedicated police staff.
As well as the police presence, there will also be a lead security person at each facility.
"We expect to have these people on site in the next 24 to 48 hours."
Woods said there would be an opportunity cost of the extra police staff at the quarantine and managed isolation facilities, just as there was for the nursing staff who worked at the facilities.
No smoking ban at isolation hotels
The man who escaped from his hotel in Auckland on Tuesday absconded through a smoking area.
Webb said forcing people to quit smoking would lead to stress and potentially aggressive behaviour.
"Banning smoking in these facilities would not be appropriate at this stage."
But the smoking areas will be monitored 24 hours a day, and if that couldn't occur, for example for a shift change, the areas will be closed.
Compassionate leave from isolation
Early releases in exceptional circumstances were still being looked at, she said.
Woods said leave for people who cannot stay in managed isolation for medical reasons remained, but all other reasons for early leave remain suspended.
A new team at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment was being put together to look specifically at early leave applications.
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