Coronavirus: New Zealand has 82 confirmed new cases of COVID-19 in the community

New Zealand has 82 new cases of COVID-19 in the community, reports the Ministry of Health.

That brings the total number of active cases in the community to 429.

415 of the total cases are in Auckland, 14 are in Wellington.

There are 25 people in hospital, including two patients in intensive care.

There are 376 cases that have been clearly epidemiologically-linked to another case or sub-cluster, and a further 53 for which links are yet to be fully established.

Yesterday, Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern announced New Zealand's level 4 lockdown will be extended nationwide until 11.59pm on Tuesday 31 August.

All of the country - except Auckland and Northland - will then drop to level 3.

A decision about our two northernmost regions will be made on Monday, with Aucklanders warned to expect at least two more weeks of level 4 from Tuesday.

The decision to keep Northland in level 4 was in part due to a positive case in Auckland's Warkworth, which is 30km south of the Northland border, Ardern said.

The Government is still investigating how the original transmission occurred from the New South Wales returnee who was staying in MIQ at the Crowne Plaza.