Auckland DHB To Reach 90% Double Dosed This Afternoon; 76 In Hospital & 6 In ICU; 198 Cases

Auckland DHB is fast closing in on being the first DHB in the country to be 90% fully vaccinated – as of 11.45am today, there were just 101 more people who needed to receive their second shot to reach this significant milestone. The DHB is expected to reach this marker this afternoon. 

And, as of earlier morning, only 755 more Māori from Auckland DHB need to receive their first dose to reach 90 percent of Māori getting their first vaccination. 75 percent are already fully vaccinated in this DHB so far. 

Only 1035 more Pasifika from Auckland DHB need to receive their first dose to reach 90 percent of Pasifika, and 78 percent are already fully vaccinated.

** The number of cases here may sometimes differ from the total reported the previous day due to a difference in reporting timeframes and reclassifications.

New case identified at the border

Historical case identified at the border

My Vaccine Pass

As of mid-morning today, about 700,000 people had successfully downloaded their My Vaccine Pass.

The system is operating smoothly and capacity has been increased, so we encourage people to go to

MyCovidRecord.health.nz

to book their My Vaccine Pass to be ready for summer.

Wellington weak positive

Last night, a weak positive COVID-19 result was picked up as part of routine surveillance testing in Wellington.

This was for an essential worker from Auckland working in the city.

The result could indicate a historical case or a case in the earlier stages of infection.

The worker is having a repeat test today and follow-up with the workplace includes tests of co-workers.

*Today’s cases

Today we are announcing new cases in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa and Canterbury.

A case announced yesterday in the Bay of Plenty is officially added to today’s figures. A case announced yesterday in Ashurst is officially added to today’s figure. A case reported yesterday in Levin has been reclassified as a Wairarapa case and has been added to the Wairarapa tally. A second case being reported today in Lakes DHB is being investigated and may reside outside of the district.

Information on the new cases is included in the regional updates below.

Auckland update

There are 152 new COVID-19 cases to report in Auckland today.

There are 18community testing centres available fortesting acrossAucklandtoday. The Pukekohe community testing centre is open until 5.30pm today and over the weekend. Northcote, Balmoral, Wiri and Ōtara testing centres continue to operate extended hours.

In the past week there havebeen 112,511 communitytestsfor COVID-19received at labsacross Auckland.This is an incredible effort – especially for allfrontlinetesting staffwhoare out in all weathers, and the laboratory teams who are working tirelessly to process these swabs.

Public health staff are now supporting 5,200 people to safely isolate at home, which includes 2,035 cases.

The Ministry can confirm the woman in her 80s who died yesterday at Middlemore Hospital was a resident of Edmonton Meadows Care Home. Our condolences are with her family and friends at this sad time.

Lakes

Today we are announcing two new cases in Lakes, bring the region’s total to 17.

One case is in Taupō and is a household contact of a known case. They are self-isolating at home.

A second case being reported today in Lakes DHB is being investigated and may reside outside of the district.

Anyone with COVID-19 related symptoms in the region, is encouraged to get tested – even if the symptoms are mild.

Testing is available today in Rotorua and Taupō. Please check the

Healthpoint

website for details

Yesterday, 555 tests were carried out across the region.

Across the region, 86 per cent of eligible people have had at least one dose of vaccine and 75 per cent have had two doses.

Waikato update

There are 30 cases of COVID-19 to report in Waikato today, bringing the total number associated with this outbreak to 214.

One new location of interest was added for Cambridge.

There is one case currently receiving care at Waikato Hospital.

Across the Waikato there are eight pop-up and dedicated testing centres operating today at Hamilton, Otorohanga, Huntly, Ngāruawāhia, Thames, and Te Kuiti.

There were 3,100 tests processed in the Waikato yesterday and 2,293 vaccinations given.

In the Waikato region, public health staff are supporting 300 people to isolate at home, including 115 cases and 185 contacts.

Bay of Plenty

Today we are reporting six new cases in the Bay of Plenty, one of which was first announced yesterday. This takes the region’s total to seven.

Of the new cases announced today, one lives in the Tauranga area, and four are in Mount Maunganui. All but one of the above cases are household contacts of known cases.

Links between the remaining Mount Maunganui case and known cases are still being investigated.

All cases are self-isolating at home.

As a precaution, a Bay of Plenty school linked to one of the cases had been closed today and all students and staff are being offered tests.

Interviews are continuing to determine case movements. Any locations of interest will be added to the Ministry’s website as they are identified.

Everyone who lives in or has travelled to the region is asked to monitor locations of interest regularly and follow any advice given. Anyone with COVID-19 related symptoms is asked to get tested as soon as possible – even if the symptoms are mild.

Testing locations can be found on the

Healthpoint

website.

Yesterday, 409 tests were carried out across the region.

Across the region, 87 per cent of eligible people have had at least one dose of vaccine and 77 per cent have had two doses.

Wairarapa

A case reported yesterday in Levin has been reclassified as a Wairarapa case and has been added to the Wairarapa tally. The case is a close contact of an existing case and is now isolating with them in the Wairarapa.

This takes the region’s total number of cases to three.

People in Wairarapa are advised to check the Ministry’s website for any locations of interest and if they have symptoms, even if they are mild and they are vaccinated, get a free COVID-19 test at your nearest medical practice. Please check the

Healthpoint website

for details.

As investigations continue, additional locations of interest at sites in Wairarapa will be added to the Ministry of Health’s

webpage

if they are identified.

Yesterday 182 tests were carried out across the region.

Across the region, 89 of eligible people have had at least one dose of vaccine and 73 have had two doses.

Canterbury

There is one new case to report in Christchurch today. The case recently travelled to the North Island, and a probable link to another case is being investigated.

Every new case is an urgent reminder to get tested if you’re feeling unwell. Testing at high numbers will help to minimise and contain the spread of COVID-19 in Christchurch.

There is good testing capacity across the city today and over the weekend. Testing locations throughout Canterbury can be found on the

Canterbury DHB website

.

The Ministry continues to ask people in Canterbury to regularly check the Ministry’s

locations of interest page

.

If you haven’t had your first dose yet, or are overdue for your second dose, there’s plenty of capacity at

vaccination clinics

in Canterbury this weekend.

Yesterday in Canterbury there were more than 2,700 community tests processed and more than 3,200 vaccinations given.

Northland update

There are three cases to report in Northland; one is a close contact in Kaitaia, one is a close contact in Whangarei with a clear link to an Auckland case, and one is in Waipu with Public Health interviews underway this morning.

We urge everyone in Northland to remain vigilant and get tested if you have any symptoms that could be COVID-19. We also ask people in Northland to regularly check the locations of interest webpage.

A pop-up testing centre will be stood up at the Ruakaka race course today to increase testing capacity in the area, in response to the Waipu case.

The Centre will be open today from 1pm-5pm, and 9am-2pm on Saturday and Monday. Further testing locations in Northland can be found on the

Northland DHB website

.

Vaccination is Northland’s best defence against COVID-19, especially as cases continue to be detected throughout the region.

If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, do yourself and your whânau, and get your first dose today. It could save your life, and theirs.

Wastewater update

COVID-19 was detected in wastewater samples collected from Pahiatua on 15 and 16 November but was not detected in a sample collected on 17 November.

Testing is in progress at a number of other sites across the region, including Feilding and Dannevirke, with results due next week.

Anyone in the area who has symptoms – no matter how mild – is encouraged to get tested, even if they are vaccinated. There is testing available in Pahiatua today:

· Pahiatua Medical Centre, corner of Main Street and Centre Street (until 5pm today). Please call ahead for an appointment.

Testing is also available over the weekend in Palmerston North:

· 575 Main Street (10am -5pm, Saturday and Sunday)

At this stage, there are no other unexpected wastewater results to report.

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