Three people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Waikato. The three are household members of a remand prisoner who tested positive at the weekend.
Two of those attend Mangatangi School on the Hauraki Plains.
At least one of the young people was symptomatic at the rural school on Thursday.
It has been closed and parents have been contacted. Arrangements are being made for the students and their families to be tested.
All three positive cases, and an accompanying adult caregiver, are being moved to a quarantine facility.
There are nine people in the household.
Five others have tested negative and the ninth household member will be tested tomorrow.
Epidemiologist Michael Baker told First Up, these cases could change alert levels.
Jean Yern's child attends Mangatangi School and has been identified as a close contact.
While that makes her anxious, like it would for any parent, she has told RNZ her whānau trusts the system and is hunkering down until they get a negative Covid-19 test result.
She says she "never thought it would reach our little, tiny, isolated, rural community... we thought we would be safe from it."
Despite the anxiety, she's continuing to prepare for her child's birthday party.
A pop-up testing centre will be set up today at the Wharekawa Marae in Whakatiwai and the Ministry of Health is encouraging locals with symptoms to get tested.
The Waikato news comes as the Government weighs up today whether it is safe for Auckland to come out of level 4.
