Record day for boosters with more than 66,000 doses given yesterday; 243 community cases; 10 in hospital; 1 in ICU

News article

05 February 2022

The continued increase in cases today is a reminder that, as expected, the Omicron variant is spreading in our communities as we have seen in other countries.

We can all play our part to slow the spread of the virus, help protect our most vulnerable people from being infected, and ensure our health system is able to manage extra demand for services.

This means continuing to do the basics well – staying home if unwell, and wearing a mask, physical distancing and scanning in using the NZ COVID Tracer app when you’re out and about.

All masks are effective when worn properly – fitted snug and close to the face – including three-layer fabric and surgical masks.

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. Even if you develop a small sniffle, please get a test.

And finally, one of the best steps you can take is getting your booster dose as soon as it is due. Boosters lower your chances of getting very sick and being hospitalised. Being boosted also helps slow the spread of the virus. If you’re over 18 and your booster is due, please get it now.

Yesterday was a record day for boosters, with 66,864 booster doses administered taking the total so far to more than 1.5 million.

As of today, more than 90% of Hawke's Bay’s Māori population have received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Twelve DHB regions now have more than 90% of Māori partially vaccinated.

Waitangi weekend reminder

We are reminding you that if you are going away this Waitangi weekend, you should have plans in place in the event you are identified as a close contact, get COVID-19 symptoms, or find out you have COVID-19.

You are likely to need to self-isolate wherever you become a close contact or test positive, so there may be extra costs involved in paying for additional accommodation and changing your travel plans.

COVID-19 vaccine update 

  • Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 4,046,832 first doses (96%); 3,971,743 second doses (94%); 1,511,766 booster doses (49%)
  • Vaccines administered yesterday: 876 first doses; 1,780 second doses; 4,440 paediatric doses; 66,864 booster doses. 
  • Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 514,182 first doses (90%); 488,653 second doses (86%).
  • Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 278,038 first doses (97%); 270,434 second doses (94%). 
  • Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 192,661 first doses (40%) 
  • Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 26,008 first doses (23%) 
  • Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 14,859 first doses (30%) 

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

  • Northland DHB: First doses (89.9%); second doses (87%) 
  • Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97%); second doses (96%) 
  • Waikato DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%) 
  • Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (92%) 
  • Lakes DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (91%) 
  • MidCentral DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%) 
  • Tairawhiti DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (89.6%) 
  • Whanganui DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89.6%) 
  • Hawke’s Bay: First doses (97%); second doses (94%) 
  • Taranaki DHB: First doses (95%); 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 (97%); second doses (95%) 
  • Nelson Marlborough DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (95%) 
  • West Coast DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%) 
  • Canterbury DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (98%) 
  • South Canterbury DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (94%) 
  • Southern DHB: First doses (98%); second doses (96%) 

Hospitalisations 

  • Cases in hospital: 10; North Shore: 2; Middlemore: 3; Auckland: 2; Rotorua: 2; Christchurch: 1
  • Average age of current hospitalisations: 60 
  • Cases in ICU or HDU: 1
  • Vaccination status of current hospitalisations (Northern Region wards only): Unvaccinated or not eligible (1 case / 20%); partially immunised <7 days from second dose or have only received one dose (N/A cases / 0%); fully vaccinated at least 7 days before being reported as a case (4 cases / 80%).

Cases 

  • Seven day rolling average of community cases: 148
  • Seven day rolling average of border cases: 44
  • Number of new community cases: 243
  • Number of new cases identified at the border: 26

Contacts 

  • Number of active contacts being managed (total): 5,243
  • Percentage who has received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 76% 
  • Percentage who has returned at least one result: 72% 
  • Tests 
  • Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 21,471
  • Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 19,600
  • Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 9,687

Wastewater 

  •  No unusual detections to report. 

NZ COVID Tracer 

  • Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,536,350
  • Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday:  42,450

My Vaccine Pass 

  • Total issued to date: 5,043,716
  • Total yesterday: 14,024

New cases identified at the border

Arrival date  

From  

Via  

Positive test day/reason  

Current MIQ/F 

25/01/2022

Singapore

Direct

Day 9 / Routine

Auckland

25/01/2022

Singapore

Direct

Day 9 / Routine

Auckland

25/01/2022

Australia

Direct

Day 9 / Routine

Auckland

25/01/2022

Australia

Direct

Day 8 / Routine

Auckland

25/01/2022

Australia

Direct

Day 8 / Routine

Auckland

25/01/2022

Australia

Direct

Day 8 / Routine

Auckland

26/01/2022

Australia

Direct

Day 8 / Routine

Auckland

27/01/2022

United Kingdom

United Arab Emirates

Day 7 / Routine

Auckland

27/01/2022

United Kingdom

United Arab Emirates

Day 7 / Routine

Auckland

28/01/2022

Singapore

Direct

Day 6 / Routine

Auckland

28/01/2022

India

United Arab Emirates

Day 5 / Routine

Auckland

29/01/2022

India

United Arab Emirates

Day 5 / Routine

Auckland

30/01/2022

India

United Arab Emirates

Day 3 / Routine

Auckland

31/01/2022

Singapore

Direct

Day 3 / Routine

Christchurch

31/01/2022

Singapore

Direct

Day 3 / Routine

Christchurch

31/01/2022

Egypt

United Arab Emirates

Day 3 / Routine

Auckland

31/01/2022

Egypt

United Arab Emirates

Day 3 / Routine

Auckland

31/01/2022

Lebanon

United Arab Emirates

Day 3 / Routine

Auckland

31/01/2022

Egypt

United Arab Emirates

Day 3 / Routine

Auckland

1/02/2022

India

United Arab Emirates

Day 1 / Routine

Christchurch

2/02/2022

Ireland

United Arab Emirates

Day 1 / Routine

Christchurch

2/02/2022

Australia

Direct

Day 1 / Routine

Auckland

3/02/2022

United Arab Emirates

Direct

Day 0 / Routine

Auckland

Today’s cases  

We are reporting new community cases in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Tairāwhiti, Hawke’s Bay, Whanganui, and Wellington.

We are also officially reporting three cases in Nelson Marlborough which were announced by the Ministry yesterday.

Northland 

Today we are reporting 21 new cases in Northland.

These include 14 cases Kerikeri, two cases in Kaeo, one case in Kaikohe, three cases in Whangārei, and one case in Taipa Bay-Mangōnui.

Auckland 

There are 165 cases to report in Auckland today. 

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 1,830 people in the region to isolate at home, including 728 cases.

Waikato  

We are reporting 34 cases in Waikato today.

Of these cases, 15 are linked to previously reported cases and the rest remain under investigation for links to previously reported cases.

Nineteen of these cases are reported for Hamilton, five in Ohaupo, two in Te Kuiti, two in Ngāruawāhia, one in Tirau, and the remaining with locations under investigation. 

Lakes  

We are reporting one new case in the Rotorua district today. This case is linked to a previously reported case.

Bay of Plenty  

There are eight cases to report in the Bay of Plenty today, with six linked to a previously reported cases and two are yet to be connected to the outbreak with investigations underway.

Of these eight cases, five are in Tauranga, and three are in the Western Bay of Plenty.

Tairāwhiti

There are two new cases to report in Tairāwhiti today. One of these cases was first announced yesterday.

Both cases remain under investigation to identify links to previously reported cases.

Hawke’s Bay

Today we are reporting six new cases in Hawke’s Bay, with all linked to previously reported cases and isolating.

Whanganui

We are reporting one new case in the Whanganui district today.

The case is a close contact of a previously reported case in another region.

The case was isolating when they tested positive and, at this stage, local public health staff have assessed there are no exposure events associated with this case.

Wellington

We are reporting two cases in Wellington city today.

Both cases remain under investigation for links to previously reported cases. One case is isolating at home and the other in managed accommodation.

Today, we are publishing an additional location of interest in the Wellington region.

  • Flight Jetstar 252, Wellington-Auckland, Saturday 29 January, 7.59am and 8.59am.

You are considered a close contact if you were seated in rows 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7. Please self-isolate, test immediately and on day five after you were exposed at this location of interest. Further isolation and testing requirements will be provided by Public Health.

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