Latest update on COVID-19 

There are four new cases recorded in the Waikato overnight. One has already been linked to existing cases and interviews with the remaining cases are underway to determine any connections to known cases.

Three of the new cases were in the Te Awamutu/Kihikihi area and one in Ōtorohanga.

An additional two cases have been confirmed today and will be included in tomorrow’s numbers. Both were in Kāwhia at the time they were tested but travelled to the Auckland region before receiving their positive results. They are now remaining in isolation in the Auckland region.

A pop-up testing centre was this morning set up in Kāwhia at the Maketu Marae which will be running for the next three days from 11am to 3pm each day.

Anyone in the Kāwhia areas with symptoms, even if they are mild and they are vaccinated, is urged to get tested.

Thirty-seven cases are now classified as recovered.

As well as the permanent testing site in Hamilton, there are five pop-up testing sites operating today in Hamilton, Kāwhia, Ōtorohanga, Whatawhata, and Te Awamutu. Please see the DHB website for location details and the Healthpoint website for all other testing providers.

There were 3,230 swabs were taken/tests were processed throughout Waikato yesterday and 4,018 vaccinations were given

Public Health investigations into the new cases are continuing. Information on locations of interest is published on the Ministry of Health website as soon as it is available:

www.health.govt.nz/locationsofinterest

Testing locations can be viewed on the Healthpoint and Waikato DHB websites.

We are urging anyone in Waikato to get tested if they have any symptoms that could be COVID-19.

People can also get tested on appointment at GP practices across the region, including designated GP practices that take enrolled and non-enrolled patients. See Healthpoint for a full list of options.

It is important that our testing facilities are available for those priority individuals who meet the criteria for seeking a test at this time. This allows us to rapidly investigate whether there has been any community spread.

Anyone who has cold or flu-like symptoms, is following guidance relating to a location of interest or has been directed by Healthline or a GP should seek a test immediately.

Otherwise, people should call Healthline on 0800 358 5453 or their GP for guidance before seeking a test.

It is free to get a COVID-19 test, wherever you go.

COVID-19 testing centres

Testing locations in and around Waikato are available on the Healthpoint and Waikato DHB websites

TE AWAMUTU

Te Awamutu Event Centre carpark, Gorst Avenue, Te Awamutu

Friday 29 October 10am – 4pm, Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 October 10am-2pm

ŌTOROHANGA

Ōtorohanga Sports Club carpark, Island Reserve, Orahiri Terrace, Ōtorohanga

Friday 29, Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 October 11am-3pm

WHATAWHATA

Te Papa O Rotu, Māori Point Road, Whatawhata

Friday 29 October 11am-2pm

KAWHIA

Maketu Marae, 614 Kaora Street, Kawhia

Friday 29, Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 October 11am-3pm

HAURAKI

Mangatangi Marae, 201 Mangatangi Road, Mangatangi

Saturday 30 October 11am – 3pm

HAMILTON

Founders Theatre carpark

Entrance off Norton Road

Daily 8am - 4pm

Claudelands Event Centre

Gate 3, Brooklyn Road

Daily 10am - 6pm

Te Kohao Health,

951 Wairere Drive, Hamilton East

Monday - Friday 10am - 4pm

GP practices

General practices across the Waikato are testing patients and designated GPs are testing non-patients also. See Healthpoint for a full list of GPs offering COVID-19 testing or call your GP to check. COVID-19 tests are free. Please ring first to make an appointment.

Latest update on COVID-19 vaccinations

Reporting on vaccination rates is at TLA level is provided by the Ministry of Health. This data is as at 11.30pm 27 October 2021 and is the latest data available.

Data at SA2 level (approximately equivalent to suburb) is available on the Ministry of Health website.

Vaccination data

To date (as at 9.04am 29 October), 555,510 COVID-19 vaccinations have been delivered at vaccination sites in the Waikato.

• 306,149 first doses have been administered
• 249,361 second doses have been administered
• On 28 October, 4,018 vaccinations were delivered across the Waikato.

Pop-up vaccination sites and vaccination clinics

Hours at the Te Awa The Base community vaccination centre in Te Rapa, Hamilton, have been extended from this week. The vaccination centre will now open from 9am to 9pm every Thursday and Friday, starting 28 October, until Christmas to cater for people who cannot be vaccinated during normal working hours.

There are number of pop-up vaccination centres operating across the Waikato this week. Details are at www.waikatodhb.health.nz/covid19mobile.

The Cambridge community vaccination centre at Cambridge Community Marae is closed. Vaccinations will continue to be available at Cambridge Medical Centre (bookings essential via www.bookmyvaccine.nz or 0800 28 29 26) and Unichem Cambridge (offering both walk-ins and bookings). There is good capacity at both sites to support the community. Vaccinations are free wherever you go.

• Mobile vaccination clinics are rolling out across the takiwā with regular visits to locations through to the end of the year. The schedule is on the Waikato DHB website and will be regularly updated with more dates and locations.
• Also visit the Waikato DHB FB page for up-to-date mobile vaccination clinic locations.
• In Hamilton and elsewhere in the Waikato, you can get your vaccinations at GPs, pharmacies, mobile sites and at our vaccination centres. There's lots of options, so come along and meet the friendly vaccination teams.
• Walk-in appointments are available at many vaccination sites across the Waikato.
• People can now also bus free to and from their vaccination appointment if they show proof of their booking. See busit.co.nz/vaccination for more details.

Reminder - Making a vaccination appointment

Although walk-ins are available at many vaccination sites, the best way of guaranteeing a vaccination on the time, day and place of your choosing is still to book.

• If you have made a booking and are not able to attend your appointment, please cancel your booking so someone else can use that appointment time.
• If you are unsure when your appointment is, check on the booking system at https://app.bookmyvaccine.covid19.health.nz/manage using your contact number or email address and booking reference. Alternatively, you can call 0800 28 29 26 for assistance.
• Everyone aged 12+ can now visit bookmyvaccine.nz to make their bookings.
• We ask everyone when attending their appointments under Alert Level 3 to follow the key public health measures detailed on the Unite Against COVID-19 website.

If people have flu-like symptoms

Do not come into the hospital if you have cold or flu-like symptoms.

If you are concerned about your risk of COVID-19, please ring Healthline (0800 358 5453). They will tell you if you need to be tested and what to do next.

• It is free to get a COVID-19 test
• GPs are able to provide assessment and testing – please phone your practice first
• Please do not turn up to your GP without an appointment
• After hours, you can be seen at an urgent care clinic
• We recommend you take your NHI number with you, which can speed up the timeframe to receive your test results.

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