As Auckland enters its second weekend in alert level 3 and the rest of the country in level 2, the decision to ease restrictions looms.

Cabinet will meet on Monday to review the restrictions in place and make a decision on the next steps of the resurgence plan.

It's not going to be a simple decision to make. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern outlined the key criteria Cabinet considers when meeting.

They look at the trends in the transmission of the virus, capacity and capability of the testing and contact tracing system, the effectiveness of self-isolation and border measures, and the capacity of the health system to move levels.

Broader criteria considered include the effects on the local economy, the effects on at-risk populations, the extent of people following the rules, and the ability to run a new alert level.

A third person has been arrested for allegedly breaching Covid-19 travel restrictions in Auckland. The man was arrested after ignoring signs and driving in a truck bypass lane to pass a police checkpoint, Assistant Commissioner Scott Fraser says.

There was also a breach at an isolation facility. A man admitted to breaking into the Crowne Plaza at the beginning of August to hug a friend. He was sentenced to six weeks in prison.

Meanwhile, mask sales are on the rise, but they're not necessarily being used. One expert believes popularising mask use among certain groups would catch on with the wider population - this is called 'social contagion”.

New Zealand has 105 active cases, 88 of which are linked to the Auckland cluster. Five cluster cases have been linked to churches in Auckland. One of the eight cases in hospital is in intensive care.

Global toll
The virus has infected over 22.7 million people globally, and killed 793,698 people. It has spread to 188 countries and regions around the world, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

The United States continues to experience the worst of the virus with 5.6m confirmed cases and 174,761 fatalities reported. Brazil and India have surpassed 3.5m and 2.9m cases, respectively.

US President Donald Trump appears to be ignoring the facts by continuing to claim New Zealand's recent outbreak is out of control. On Friday, Ardern used New Zealand's case numbers to shoot back.

What should I do?
Auckland is at alert level 3, with the rest of the country at alert level 2. Those levels are confirmed until midnight Wednesday, August 26.

For Level 2 information click here.

The geographic boundary of the Auckland lockdown is the super city, with police operating roadblocks.

Gatherings of more than ten people are again restricted in Auckland, while all schools and childcare facilities will be closed for all except the children of essential service workers.

People in Auckland must work from home unless they are essential workers, and stay in their bubble.

Aucklanders have been told to wear face masks, while the rest of the country is encouraged to use masks on public transport and other places in which they cannot keep a physical distance from others.

Auckland is undergoing a testing blitz.

If you are sick, call your GP before you visit, or call Healthline on 0800 358 5453.

To avoid contracting and spreading the virus, wash your hands properly, cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow and throw tissues away immediately.

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