Auckland will move to alert level 2 at midnight today, despite a third new community case of Covid-19 being announced.
The rest of the country will move to alert level 1. Alert levels will be reviewed again on Monday.
The Prime Minister has just made the announcement at a press conference alongside director general of health Dr Ashley Bloomfield.
Cabinet met this afternoon to review alert level settings this afternoon, she said, before handing over to Bloomfield without providing further details.
Bloomfield said it was "reassuring" all the new cases were linked and were identified through the contact tracing
They have been in isolation since Monday.
Bloomfield said "we should be encouraged" that all five cases have clear epidemiological links.
The new cases are being interviewed at home in "strict isolation" and the Health Ministry will release the locations of interest this afternoon.
Bloomfield said the two new cases at Papatoetoe High School were not at school when they were infectious but it will remain closed until Monday.
All students and staff will need a negative test result before returning to school.
Testing will remain open at the school so everyone can be tested.
Nearly 80 per cent of students at the school have tested negative - but there are still 363 tests outstanding
Bloomfield reminded Aucklanders that health services were still open despite being in alert level 3.
Ardern said the latest restrictions will be reviewed again on Monday.
Her expectation was if we were in a similar position then it was likely there'll be another drop in alert levels.
Ardern said the evidence suggested there wasn't a widespread outbreak but a small chain of transmission.
There will still be some restrictions for those connected to Papatoetoe High School.
