Canterbury DHB has become the third DHB area to be 95% fully vaccinated, joining Auckland DHB and Capital and Coast DHB.

Meanwhile Waikato DHB has reached the 90% fully vaccinated milestone.

Omicron update

Today there are an additional six Omicron cases to report among arrivals at the border, taking to total to date to 78.

Yesterday we confirmed New Zealand’s first border-related case of Omicron with community exposures.

The case arrived on 16 December and as required under the previous regime for international arrivals, completed a full 10 days in isolation; 7 days in a managed isolation facility and 3 days in self-isolation. They were tested on day nine but did not wait for a negative test result before self-releasing.

Under the previous regime, those leaving a managed isolation facility were able to complete their three days self-isolation at home or in other accommodation. The case completed their self-isolation on Waiheke Island, we understand they travelled by private car and ferry to the island. While on the ferry they did not leave their vehicle and travelled straight to their accommodation.

All international arrivals are now required to complete their full 10 days of isolation in a managed isolation facility and must return a negative day nine test before they are released. From 7 January, all travellers to New Zealand will have to have a PCR test no more than 48 hours before flying, down from the current 72 hours.

Contact tracing has identified a number of known close contacts, all of whom are being contacted and asked to isolate and test. This includes close contacts identified via case interviews and from locations of interest including Impala nightclub. Additionally, push notifications have been sent to any person who scanned into any LOI that the case visited. These notifications include public health advice on testing and isolation. All identified close contacts are being urgently contacted by contact tracers.

Whole genome sequencing of the other omicron cases at the same managed isolation facility has shown the case is not linked to others who stayed at the same facility. At this stage, there is no evidence of in facility transmission.

A further interview is underway with the case this morning to determine additional locations of interest.

Testing is available on Waiheke today and additional mobile testing will be made available if required.

Anyone who attended the Hidden Lakes Festival and is concerned should ring healthline for further advice. However, only a small number of contacts of this case attended the festival, all of whom had negative tests beforehand. The public health risk associated with this event has been assessed as low.

At this stage, there are no known contacts or cases associated with Rhythm & Alps festival.

As always, anyone who is symptomatic should stay at home get tested.

Today we are reporting a second border-related case who has been in the community. The case is an Air New Zealand crew member who worked on a flight between Auckland and Sydney on 24 December.

They were tested for COVID-19 in routine surveillance testing on 27 December. Whole genome sequencing has confirmed the Omicron variant and has also confirmed the case is linked to three other Omicron cases on the same flight.

The case was immediately transferred to a MIQ facility.

The case is fully vaccinated. Eight close contacts have been identified, seven of whom have returned negative test results.

At this stage, there are no known locations of interest.

We have been doing everything we can to prepare for Omicron and to keep it out of the community since the variant was first identified. This has included undertaking whole genome sequencing on every PCR sample taken from COVID-19 cases detected in international arrivals.

Our vaccine rollout remains our key defence against all variants of COVID-19, including Omicron. With 90% of the eligible population now double-dosed, and the booster programme underway, New Zealanders are well protected. We want vaccinations to continue increasing and ask everyone who is eligible to get vaccinated. This is also a timely reminder for people over the age of 18 to get their booster shot if it has been six months since their last vaccine dose.

From 5 January, people only need to wait four months since their last dose and will be able to access a booster through walk in clinics. For a full list of vaccination centres see the Healthpoint website.

As always, it is important to stay at home if you are sick, get tested if you have symptoms of COVID-19 and isolate until you return a negative test.

COVID-19 vaccine update

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 3,973,416 first doses (94%); 3,845,831 second doses (91%); 28,471 third primary doses; 295,666 booster doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 1,134  first doses; 6,627 second doses; 420 third primary doses and 15,747 booster doses.
• Māori (percentage of eligible people): 499,800 first doses (88%); 458,543 second doses (80%)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people): 271,051 first doses (95%); 258,127 second doses (90%)

Vaccination rates by DHB with active cases (percentage of eligible people)

• Northland DHB: First doses (88%); second doses (84%)
• Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (96%); second doses (93%)
• Waikato DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (90%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89%)
• Lakes DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (87%)
• Taranaki DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89%)
• Tairawhiti DHB: First doses (91%); second doses (86%)
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (95%)

Hospitalisations

• Cases in hospital: 44; North Shore: 7; Auckland: 15; Middlemore: 18; Tauranga: 2; Lakes: 2
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (16 cases / 42.1%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (9 cases / 23.7%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (13 cases / 34.2%)
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 54
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 7 (2 in Auckland; 3 in Middlemore, 2 in Tauranga)

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 44.3
• Number of new community cases: 60
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 11
• Location of new community cases: Northland (1), Auckland (20), Waikato (28), Bay of Plenty (8), Lakes (1), Tairāwhiti (1), Canterbury (1).
• Number of community cases (total): 10,776 (in current community outbreak)
• Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8077
• Number of active cases (total): 1,128 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classed as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 13687

Contacts

• Number of active contacts being managed (total): 6230
• Percentage who have received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 82%
• Percentage who have returned at least one result: 76%

Tests

• Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 13,851
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 11,811
• Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 6,274

Wastewater

• No unexpected detections

NZ COVID Tracer

• Poster scans in 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,490,255
• Manual diary entries in 24 hours to midday: 45,403

My Vaccine Pass

• My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,581,801
• My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 18,582

Today’s cases

Today, we are reporting new community cases in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Tairāwhiti and Canterbury.

Regional updates

We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if you’re vaccinated. Please stay at home until you return a negative test result.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.

Northland

This is one case in Hokianga to report today.

The case is a household contact of previously reported cases in Northland and were already isolating at home when they tested positive.

Auckland

Today, there are 20 new cases being reported in Auckland. 

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 1,331 people to isolate at home, including 337 cases.

Waikato

There are 28 new cases in the Waikato today with 24 in Te Kūiti, two in Te Awamutu, one in Ōtorohanga, and one pending location confirmation.

Of these cases, 27 have been linked to previous cases with one remaining under investigation. The majority of Te Kūiti cases have been linked to two exposure events with attendees identified as contacts by public health and notified prior to testing positive.

For details of dedicated testing sites operating over the holiday period, please visit the dedicated DHB page or DHB Facebook page.

There were 1029 tests processed in the Waikato yesterday and 620 vaccinations delivered.

In the Waikato, public health, primary care and manaaki providers are supporting 63 cases to isolate at home.

Bay of Plenty

There are eight new cases to report in Bay of Plenty today.  All of these cases are in Tauranga.

Of today’s cases, six are linked to previously reported cases, and two are still being investigated for potential links.

All cases are isolating at home or in managed accommodation.

Lakes DHB

There is one new case to report in Rotorua today, the individual is a household contact of a previously reported case.

Gisborne

There is one new case to report in Gisborne, taking the total number of active cases in the Tairāwhiti DHB area to three.

The case is close contact of previously reported cases in Gisborne and was already isolated at home. They were moved into managed accommodation with public health oversight yesterday.

Canterbury

There is one new case to report in Canterbury today.

The case is linked to a recently reported case and is isolating in a MIQ facility.

Media releases over the Christmas break

Over the Christmas break there will be regular COVID-19 updates published and tweeted each day apart from:

• Saturday 1 January, and
• Saturday 8 January.

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