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New Zealand's Institute of Medical Laboratory Science (NZIMLS) is reassuring workforce teams have been working hard behind the scene to provide Aotearoa with a swift and accurate service under pressure.

On Tuesday the country was put under an Alert Level 4 lockdown at 11.59pm to prevent the spread of the Delta variant in the community.

Two additional cases were confirmed the following morning bringing the total to seven in community cases.

Source: CC/ Gettyimages

Terry Taylor, NZIMLS President says to thisquality in a comment that their workforce is very talented and up for the latest testing challenge.

“Our dedicated laboratory professionals of Aotearoa New Zealand have been working under pressure behind the scenes for the entire duration of the pandemic and will once again step up to provide the population with the swift and accurate diagnostic service needed to assist with the latest Covid-19 outbreak,” he said.

“At these times, all essential frontline health services coordinate together and provide a level of expertise and service that will continue to be one of our major weapons against this highly transmissible strain of the Covid-19 virus.”

The Ministry of Health is advising people to get tested if they have visited a location of interest or have cold and flu symptoms. Community testing centres in Auckland will continue to operate at extended hours today and will remain open until 8pm.

There were four pop-up testing centres opened up this morning in Devonport, St Lukes, Wairau Valley and Albany — they remain open until the evening.

Further testing operations are underway in Thames and Coromandel's Township. Another testing centre has been stood up at the Claudelands Event Centre in Hamilton.

Call Healthline on 0800 358 5453. For all testing locations nationwide, visit the Healthpoint website. Up-to-date information about testing locations in Auckland, and visting hours; visit www.arphs.health.nz.

Information about the testing stations in Coromandel is located at www.waikatodhb.health.nz/your-health/covid-19-in-waikato/cbac.

To date the total number of Covid-19 tests processed has reached 2,571,452.

On Tuesday there were 7,057 tests processed across the whole country. The seven-day rolling average is 5,162.

Source: CC/ Sam Hudson [Wgtn]

Dedicated support was shown for all medical laboratory staff from government and Ministry of Health officials.

“The promotion and encouragement from the Minister of Health the Hon. Andrew Little, the Covid-19 Response Minister, the Hon. Chris Hipkins, and the Director-General of Health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield, is always warmly appreciated,” Mr Taylor said.

Image: Shutterstock.com

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