Yesterday 12,860 paediatric doses were administered, bringing the total to 150,207.
Nelson Marlborough is only five first doses short of partially vaccinating 90% of Māori. It will be the eighth DHB area to achieve this milestone.
Yesterday 46,271 booster doses were administered, bring the total to 1,257,758.
Public health teams are continuing to manage Omicron cases in the community through rapidly isolating cases and contacts, contact tracing, and testing to slow the spread.
To date, 116 community cases of COVID-19 have either been confirmed by Whole Genome Sequencing as the Omicron variant or have been linked to a previously reported Omicron case.
Some of these additional cases have previously been reported as COVID-19 cases and linked retrospectively either through whole genome sequencing or epidemiologically.
As of 9am this morning, there has been 39 cases connected to the Soundsplash music festival in Hamilton last weekend. However, this number will grow as further test results are received.
Given the increase in cases associated with Soundsplash, the Ministry of Health advises all attendees to get a test, if they have not already done so. If you attended the festival, please let the testing centre know that you were at the festival.
Two of the four community cases in Canterbury reported earlier in the week have now been determined to be Omicron.
There are active cases being treated as Omicron in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, MidCentral, Canterbury, Tairāwhiti and Nelson-Tasman.
The number of cases and contacts are expected to grow given the highly transmissible nature of Omicron and as we learn more from case interviews.
We’re asking everyone in New Zealand to act like Omicron is circulating in their community.
That means wearing a mask in indoor settings with people you don’t know, physical distancing, washing hands regularly and scanning in using the COVID-19 Tracer app, when you’re out and about.
Anyone with any cold or flu symptoms that could be COVID-19 is asked to get a test and isolate at home until a negative result is returned.
The most common early symptoms of the Omicron variant are a sore or scratchy throat, and a runny nose. So if you have these symptoms, please get a test.
As the number of total hospitalised cases in the Northern Region is currently below five, we have removed the vaccination status for hospitalisations, for privacy reasons.
ESR has advised COVID-19 was detected in samples taken on the 26 and 27 January from Dannevirke, Kerikeri, Pukekohe, Paihia and Rawene.
There was also continued detection in samples taken over the same days from Ahipara, Kawakawa Bay, Hamilton, Tauranga, Rotorua, Te Maunga (Mt Maunganui), Te Puke, Te Awamutu, Porirua, Moa Point in Wellington and Motueka.
We are reporting new community cases in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Tairawhiti and Hawke’s Bay.
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. We are also asking people to regularly check the locations of interest as these are regularly updated and to follow the advice provided.
Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.
Please also continue to check for any updated Locations of Interest and appropriate health advice, updated regularly on the Ministry’s website.
Today we are reporting four new cases in Northland. Three of these came in after the cut off time and will be reported in tomorrow’s figures.
Three of the cases are in Whangārei and one case is in Kerikeri. All four cases are isolating at home.
Two cases are linked to the Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton. Whole genome sequencing will be carried out on these cases but in the meantime, Northland public health staff are treating them as if they are Omicron.
Three new locations of interest in Whangārei have been added to the Ministry’s website. Please check the time and date for these and follow corresponding public health advice.
There are 61 cases to report in Auckland today.
Health and welfare providers are now supporting 769 people in the region to isolate at home, including 242 cases.
There are 14 new cases in the Waikato today.
Of these, ten have been linked to previous cases and four remain under investigation for links.
Public Health staff, primary care and manaaki providers in Waikato are supporting 32 cases to isolate at home.
We are reporting seven new cases in the Lakes DHB area today – all in Rotorua.
Six are contacts of previously reported cases and the remaining case is currently being investigated.
We are reporting eight new COVID-19 cases in the Bay of Plenty today.
This includes three cases onboard the Singapore-flagged Maersk Bogor container ship, which is currently under quarantine at the Port of Tauranga.
The ship arrived in port on Friday morning. Some of the 25 crew had experienced COVOD-like illness. Testing returned three positive results in the 24 hour period to midnight last night.
No one has been allowed off the ship. Testing was carried out following strict Infection, Prevention and Control guidelines.
The vessel has been managed by the Port to ensure that the risk from crew has been effectively managed.
The ship is due to leave port tomorrow.
The five remaining cases are in the Western Bay of Plenty, including one in Katikati. There are two cases in Katikati. Public health staff are awaiting the results of whole genome sequencing, but in the meantime, the cases are being treated as though they’re Omicron.
Increased testing has been made available at the Katikati medical centre. Please check the Healthpoint website for further testing details.
There are three new cases to report in Tairāwhiti today. All are connected to the Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton.
Whole genome sequencing will be carried out on these cases but in the meantime, these cases are being treated as though they are Omicron.
Today we are reporting three new cases of COVID-19 in Hawke’s Bay.
One of these is the case we first announced yesterday and links to the Soundsplash festival have been established. It is being treated as an Omicron case.
Investigations are continuing to determine other links for the remaining cases.