Coronavirus: New Zealand has five new confirmed cases of COVID-19

Today New Zealand has three new confirmed cases of COVID in the community and two in managed isolation, says Director-General of Health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.

Two of the community cases are linked to the current South Auckland cluster.

The other community case is under investigation.

The two imported cases are a female in her 50s and a man in his 30s. They have been transferred to the Jet Park Hotel.

There are nine people in hospital, including three patients in intensive care.

That brings the total number of active cases to 134 in New Zealand, with 113 in the community.

The total number of confirmed cases in New Zealand since the pandemic began is 1,344.

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Auckland will move into level 2 like the rest of the country at midnight on Sunday, except with stricter rules on gatherings.

Gatherings for Aucklanders will be restricted to 10 people at level 2, while a 50-person limit would be in place for funerals and tangi.

Those settings will be in place for a week and Cabinet will review them on Sunday 6 September.