Covid-19 daily community case numbers hit 1160 as Omicron outbreak grows

By RNZ.co.nz and is republished with permission.

There are 1160 new community cases of Covid-19 being reported today.Motorists queue at the Otara testing station after a positive COVID-19 coronavirus case was reported in the community as the city enters a level 3 lockdown in Auckland on February 15, 2021.

Covid-19 testing in Wellington. Photo: AFP

It is the first time the number of daily cases has surpassed 1000.

In a statement, the Ministry said 861 were in the Auckland DHBs, with the remainder in Northland (24), Waikato (73), Bay of Plenty (33), Lakes (5), Hawke’s Bay (15), MidCentral (3), Whanganui (4), Taranaki (9), Tairāwhiti (9), Wairarapa (5), Capital and Coast (32), Hutt Valley (20), Nelson Marlborough (15), Canterbury (8), South Canterbury (3) and Southern (39) DHBs, with two still to be determined.

There are 56 people in hospital with the coronavirus, with none in intensive care. The average age of the current hospitalisations is 65.

There were also 43 cases at the border today, with travellers arriving from India, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, UAE, UK and USA.

Yesterday, 744 new community cases of Covid-19 were reported in New Zealand.

There have now been 23,127 cases in New Zealand since the pandemic began.

There were 46,156 booster doses given yesterday, along with 660 first doses, 1406 second doses and 1710 paediatric doses.

More than two million booster doses had now been given, the ministry said.

“Omicron is highly transmissible, but all of us can 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.”

Milford Track worker case

Meanwhile, a worker on the Milford Track has tested positive for Covid-19.

Guided walking business Ultimate Hikes confirmed one of their staff became unwell on Saturday.

Yesterday, they returned a postive PCR result while isolating in Queenstown.

Ultimate Hikes general manager Noel Saxon said the staff member was a lodge attendant at their private lodge, Glade House.

He said there are roughly 100 guided walkers who are considered casual contacts.

All staff and workers are required to be vaccinated.

Canterbury

Canterbury District Health Board has set up an emergency co-ordination centre to help the region deal with an increase in Covid-19 cases.

There were nine new cases in Canterbury yesterday, bringing the total number of active cases to 20.

In a statement, Canterbury DHB incident controller Helen Skinner said the centre will help local authorities to comprehensively manage Covid-19 risk.

Students in Hawke’s Bay test positive

There are now more than 90 active covid 19 cases in the North Island’s most eastern regions.

There are 15 new cases in Hawke’s Bay, including five students from Taradale High School in Napier.

The school says 87 students have been identified as contacts and need to get tested.

All students are learning from home.

There are now 60 active cases in Hawke’s Bay.

Further north in Tairāwhiti there are nine new cases.

There was a case found earlier at Gisborne Boys’ High School but now the school is back to normal as no new cases have been found there.

There are 34 active cases in and around Gisborne.

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