Two DHBs are less than 1000 doses away from reaching their 90% fully vaccinated milestone. As of this morning, Taranaki DHB was 658 doses away from 90% of its eligible population being fully vaccinated, and the West Coast DHB was 655 doses away. Thirteen out of 20 DHBs have reached the 90% milestone.

There were 33 cases identified at the border over the past two days. This number is a reflection on the increase in cases globally and the continued impact of Covid-19 in many parts of the world.

It’s important to note our border measures and managed isolation and quarantine process have adapted over the past two years to minimise the risk of Covid-19 border cases leading to community transmission. These also offer strong protection against the Omicron variant.

In addition, further measures have been introduced recently in response to Omicron cases at the border, including lengthening the period of time overseas arrivals must spend in MIQ from 7 to 10 days, tighter requirements for pre-departure test, and escalating the roll-out of booster doses, especially for those working at our borders. We have strengthened and continue to review infection prevention control measures at the border to minimise the risk of transmission. We have also shifted priorities for whole genome sequencing to focus on areas of greatest risk for Omicron transmission

Omicron update

There are two new Omicron cases at the border to report among recent arrivals at the border, taking the total Omicron cases at the border to date to 90.

There are no community Omicron cases to report.

Testing continues for the contacts of the border-related Omicron case with community exposures, first announced on Wednesday. To date, all test results received from these contacts have been negative.

Covid-19 vaccine update

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 3,975,039 first doses (94%); 3,854,768 second doses (92%); 29,184 third primary doses; 327,091 booster doses
• Vaccines administered over the past two days: 720 first doses; 3892 second doses; 274 third primary doses and 14,501 booster doses.
• Māori (percentage of eligible people): 500,488 first doses (88%); 461,593 second doses (81%)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people): 271,374 first doses (95%); 259,250 second doses (90%)

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

• Northland DHB: First doses (89%); second doses (84%)
• Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
• 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 (88%)
• Taranaki DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89%)
• Tairāwhiti DHB: First doses (91%); second doses (86%)
• Hawke’s Bay DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (91%)
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (95%)

Hospitalisations

• Cases in hospital: 43; North Shore: 8; Auckland: 12; Middlemore: 19; Tauranga: 2; Lakes: 1; Waikato: 1
• Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (21 cases / 51.2%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (4 cases / 9.8%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (14 cases / 34.1%); unknown (2 cases /4.9%)
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 54
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 5 (3 in Auckland; 2 in Tauranga)

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 41.9
• Number of new community cases: 105 over two days
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 33 over two days
• Location of new community cases over two days: Auckland (71), Waikato (7), Bay of Plenty (22), Lakes (4), Hawke’s Bay (1)*
• Number of community cases (total): 10,928 (in current community outbreak)
• Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8177
• Number of active cases (total): 1025 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classed as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 13,883

Contacts

• Number of active contacts being managed (total): 5984
• Percentage who have received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 80%
• Percentage who have returned at least one result: 77%

Tests

• Number of tests total over two days: total 23,603; Friday (14,424), Saturday (9179)
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 10,705
• Auckland tests total over two days: Total (10,466); Friday (6717), Saturday (3749)

Wastewater

No unexpected detections

NZ Covid Tracer

• Poster scans in 48 hours to midday yesterday: total (4,652,713), Friday (2,723,488), Saturday (1,929,225)
• Manual diary entries in 48 hours to midday: total (80,989), Friday (46,088), Saturday (34,901)

My Vaccine Pass

• My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,619,238
• My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 20,034

Today’s cases

Today, we are reporting new community cases in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, and Hawke’s Bay over the past two days.

*The Hawke’s Bay case was first announced on Friday after the reporting cut-off but is being officially included in the tally today.

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.

Auckland

There are 71 new cases being reported in Auckland over the past two days.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 1264 people to isolate at home, including 355 cases.

Two deaths in hospital

Sadly today we are reporting two deaths in Auckland City Hospital in the past 48 hours.

Both patients are reported to have died were Covid-19 cases.

The families have requested that no information be publicly provided about these people and, out of respect, the Ministry will not be providing any further details.

The Ministry would like to pass on its sympathies to the friends and whanau of the two patients.

Auckland Care Centre

Today we can confirm there are now six cases of Covid-19 from the Everil Orr Care Centre in Mount Albert, including five residents and one staff member.

One of the residents, who tested positive on December 30, is in hospital and is currently in a stable condition.  All other residents, and the staff, were tested on December 31 and early on New Year’s Day.  All residents and staff are fully vaccinated.  The facility is run by Oceania and is being supported by Public Health and Auckland DHB.

Waikato

There were seven new cases reported in the Waikato over two days.

These included three in Te Kūiti, two in Hamilton, one in Ōtorohanga and one in Matarangi. The Matarangi cases was initially announced as based in Whitianga as investigations were still underway.

Five of these cases have been linked to previous cases and two remain under investigation.

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

There were 1501 tests processed in the Waikato over the past two days.

In the Waikato, Public Health, primary care and manaaki providers are supporting 53 cases to isolate at home.

Bay of Plenty

There are 22 new cases to report in Bay of Plenty over the past two days.

Of the cases, 15 are in Tauranga, five are in Western Bay of Plenty and two are in the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

Fifteen of these are linked to previously reported cases, with the remaining still being investigated for potential links.

All cases are isolating at home or in managed accommodation.

Lakes DHB region

There are four new cases to report in Rotorua over the past two days.

One of today’s cases is linked to a previously reported case, with the remaining still being investigated for potential links.

All cases are isolating at home or in managed accommodation.