Corrections is dealing with dozens of Covid-19 cases and exposures within Auckland prisons, including the privately-operated Corrections Facility at Wiri and Mt Eden's remand prison.
31 people have now tested positive at Kohuora, after an officer worked while infectious at the Serco-run Wiri prison.
20 of the positive cases are prisoners, another 11 are prison officers; up to 200 prisoners are now considered close contacts.
In a statement Serco told Māori Television safety was 'their top priority' and they had introduced additional measures to manage the situation including increased cleaning intervals, as well as stricter hand hygiene protocols and PPE use.
There will also be a renewed vaccination push at the facility.
The company says it is restricting visitor access and has quarantined the affected prisoners; all prisoners quarantining will receive an additional $10 stipend to contact loved ones who are unable to visit while they see out their isolation.
Late this afternoon corrections confirmed another incident to Māori Television at Auckland's Mt Eden; corrections say 27 prisoners are currently isolating after coming into contact with a Covid-positive prisoner.
Corrections says given Mount Eden is a remand prison, several of those close contacts were released into the public before the positive case was detected; details of those people have been passed on to regional public health for follow-up.