The West Coast has become the 17th DHB to fully vaccinate more than 90% of its residents with two doses.

Yesterday 13,112 paediatric doses were administered, bringing the total to 137,301. A further 23,000 doses are booked in and 29% of 5 to 11 year olds have now received their first dose.

Yesterday 46,827 booster doses were administered, bring the total to 1,210,768 – of those due for a booster, 65% of people have now received one.

Testing

We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with Covid-19 symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if they are vaccinated and to stay at home until they return a negative test result.

We need to focus testing on those who are symptomatic and contacts of cases to ensure our testing centres don’t quickly become overwhelmed and so we can continue to support the public health response.

Omicron update

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, 105 community cases of Covid-19 have either been confirmed as the Omicron variant or have been linked to a previously reported Omicron case. This is an increase of 15 since yesterday. 

Some of these additional cases have previously been reported as Covid-19 cases and linked retrospectively either through whole genome sequencing or epidemiologically.

Therefore, some are not included in today’s reported new Covid-19 community cases.

There are active cases being treated as Omicron in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, MidCentral, 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 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.

Covid-19 vaccine update

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 4,037,775 first doses (96%); 3,956,708 second doses (94%); 1,210,768 booster doses
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 1,315 first doses; 2,314 second doses; 13,112 paediatric doses; 46,827 booster doses.
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 511,325 first doses (90%); 483,809 second doses (85%).
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 276,590 first doses (96%); 268,268 second doses (94%).
• Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 137,301 first doses (29%)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 17,632 first doses (15%)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 9,404 first doses (19%)

Vaccination rates for all DHBs (percentage of eligible people aged 12 +)

• Northland DHB: First doses (90%); second doses (86%)
• Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)
• Waikato DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (92%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (92%)
• Lakes DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%)
• MidCentral DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
• Tairawhiti DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89%)
• Whanganui DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89%)
• Hawke’s Bay: First doses (96%); second doses (93%)
• Taranaki DHB: First doses (94%); second doses (92%)
• Wairarapa DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
• Capital and Coast DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (97%)
• Hutt Valley DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (95%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
• West Coast DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%)
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (97%)
• South Canterbury DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%)
• Southern DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (96%)

Hospitalisations

• Cases in hospital: 4; North Shore: 2; Middlemore: 1, Rotorua: 1,
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 66
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 1 (Rotorua)

As the number of total hospitalised cases is currently below five, we have removed the vaccination status for Northern Region hospitalisations, for privacy reasons.

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 40
• Seven day rolling average of border cases: 41
• Number of new community cases: 105
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 45
• *Location of new community cases: Auckland (76), Waikato (5), Tairawhiti (1), Bay of Plenty (9), Lakes (7), Hawke’s Bay (1), MidCentral (1), Nelson Marlborough (2), Canterbury (3)
• Number of community cases (total): 11,713 (in current community outbreaks)
• Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8927
• Number of active cases (total): 567 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 15,615

Contacts

• Number of active contacts being managed (total): 5852
• Percentage who has received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 78%
• Percentage who has returned at least one result: 74%

Tests

• Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 21,232
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 17,513
• Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 9,958

Wastewater

• A new detection from Katikati on 25 January. See further details in the Bay of Plenty section.

NZ Covid Tracer

• Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,589,764
• Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday: 50,859

My Vaccine Pass

• My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,958,903
• My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 16,287

New cases identified at the border

Today’s cases

As we see more Omicron cases, an increase in the total number of daily community cases is expected.

We are reporting new community cases in Auckland, Waikato, Tairawhiti, Bay of Plenty, Lakes, Hawke’s Bay, MidCentral, Nelson Tasman and Canterbury.

We are announcing one case in Northland and one case in Bay of Plenty which will be officially added to tomorrow’s case numbers.

We first announced Tairawhiti’s one case in yesterday’s statement but it has been added to today’s numbers.

Likewise, three of today’s Bay of Plenty cases were first announced yesterday; as were Nelson Tasman’s two cases and Canterbury’s three cases.

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.  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.

Northland

Today’s case is a household contact of a previously reported case. They’re based in Whangarei.

Separately, a new location of interest has been added to the Ministry’s webpage – the Wainui Marae in Kaeo. Please check the website for time and date details and corresponding public health advice.

Auckland

There are 76 cases to report in Auckland today.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 698 people in the region to isolate at home, including 206 cases.

Waikato

There are five new cases in the Waikato today.

Four of the cases are linked to previous cases and one is under investigation. Four are from Hamilton and the location of the fifth case is under investigation.

Public Health staff, primary care and manaaki providers in Waikato are supporting 22 cases to isolate at home.

Lakes

We are reporting seven new cases in the Lakes DHB are today.

All seven are contacts of previously reported cases and are isolating at home or in managed accommodation.

Bay of Plenty

We are reporting nine new Covid-19 cases in the Bay of Plenty today.

This includes three cases first announced yesterday, all linked to an early childhood centre in Tauranga.

Today we are reporting additional five cases linked to this childhood centre. All eight are being treated as Omicron, given their links to confirmed Omicron cases.

A focus for Toi Te Ora Public Health today is an exposure at a polo event held at on Trustpower Baypark stadium between 1pm and 6.15pm on (Saturday) 22 January. The event was attended by a large number of people, including cases that are suspected to be Omicron.

Advice for people who attended the event are:

• Anyone who was at the bar during this time is a close contact and is being asked to self-isolate and get tested immediately.
• Anyone who was at the stadium at this time but not the bar is a casual contact and needs to self-monitor for Covid-19 symptoms for 10 days after you were exposed. If symptoms develop, get a test and stay at home until you get a negative test result.

The ninth case we are reporting today is in Western Bay of Plenty and remains under investigation for links to previously reported cases.

In addition, we are reporting another case in the Western Bay of Plenty. This case remains under investigation for links to previously reported cases.

MidCentral

There is one case to report in MidCentral today – in Palmerston North. This case is not linked to any previously reported cases in the region and investigations are continuing to determine any links to other cases.

Public health staff are also working to identify any close contacts.

Hawke’s Bay

Today we are reporting one new case of Covid-19 in Hawke’s Bay.

This case is not part of the previously reported Hastings Delta cluster. Public health staff have, however, established a link to a previously reported case outside the region.

In addition, we are announcing a second case, which will be officially reported in the Ministry’s case tally tomorrow. This case is linked to Soundsplash Festival in Hamilton and is under investigation.