Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has announced this evening that Auckland will be moving to Alert Level 3 for a period of seven days from 6am tomorrow morning.

The rest of New Zealand will move to Alert Level 2, also at 6am on Sunday morning.

The Prime Minister is holding a press conference this evening, after a new Covid-19 community case was discovered.

A sibling of a Papatoetoe High School student, who was a casual plus contact of the recent Auckland community cases, has tested positive for Covid-19.

The Ministry of Health confirmed the case in a statement this evening.

"The level 3 remains the same as earlier in the month,” says Ardern.

The Prime Minister says Aucklanders should stay at home, and stay in their bubble. They should work from home where possible, and maintain social distancing. Children are being asked to stay home from school.

Supermarkets will remain open as usual, so there is no need to rush out for supplies, says Ardern.

Public venues will be closed. All sports games will be cancelled, including Auckland's Round the Bays.

Mask-wearing on planes, trains, on buses and ferries is mandatory.

A border is being set up around Auckland again. The rules and location of the border will be the same as earlier this month.

'If you applied for an exemption during the snap lockdown earlier this month, your exemption still applies,” says Ardern.

Papatoetoe High School was due to reopen this Monday after having to close for cleaning and contact tracing when the first student of the recent cases tested positive on February 14.

The new case reported today developed symptoms on Tuesday February 23, and is regarded as being potentially infectious from Sunday February 21.

The person was tested yesterday and the result was received this afternoon.

The high school student sibling had returned three recent negative tests and is asymptomatic, the ministry says.

There are two key things the PM is worried about here. One is the lack of clear epidemiological link - undoubtedly it will be something in the school community, but they don't know the exact link, as the sibling who goes to the school tested negative thrice.

The other problem is that this person has been symptomatic since Tuesday and has been out and about in Auckland meaning there is a good chance of infection elsewhere.

Public health officials are undertaking interviews to help establish how this new case was infected.

The household has five people and testing is now underway, the ministry said, with results expected this evening.

Genome sequencing is also underway and expected later tonight.

Locations of interest
A number of locations of interest, which will be available on the ministry's website, will be updated progressively from this evening.

Four have been identified so far:
• Hunter Plaza (February 26) 2.55pm - 5pm
• Burger King Highland Park (February 25) 8pm-9pm
• Your Health Pharmacy (February 23) 2.45pm - 3.50pm
• Pak n Save Manukau (February 21) 5.30pm - 6.40pm

For up-to-date information on testing locations in Auckland, visit Auckland Regional Public Health Service's website and all testing locations nationwide, visit the Healthpoint website.

The ministry is urging people to only call Healthline if they were potentially exposed.

If you have symptoms of the coronavirus, call the NZ Covid-19 Healthline on 0800 358 5453 (+64 9 358 5453 for international SIMs) or call your GP - don't show up at a medical centre