Today we are reporting four new expected and linked cases of COVID-19 in Waikato, who were in isolation throughout their infectious period.

All new cases are in Te Awamutu / Kihikihi area and isolating currently at home.

This brings total cases for Waikato during this outbreak to 91, with six cases for which epidemiological links remain under investigation.

*One case which was previously reported as Whatawhata has now been confirmed as Hamilton and the numbers adjusted accordingly
 

Waikato DHB is continuing to carry out testing throughout the region, to help determine any undetected community spread of COVID-19.

Two bakeries have been added as locations of interest in Tokoroa, connected with the individual who stayed at a residential address overnight in the town before flying to Blenheim from Rotorua Airport. The DHB has a pop-up testing site open in Tokoroa today through to at least Thursday at the Hospital car park.

We are urging anyone in Waikato - in particular, people in Te Awamutu and Ōtorohanga - to get tested if they have any symptoms that could be COVID-19.

Testing locations can be viewed on the Healthpoint website and Waikato DHB website, with testing available throughout Labour Weekend.

Over the long weekend there were 9,089 tests processed for the Waikato, including 1,951 yesterday. There were 4,160 vaccinations over the same period, including 670 yesterday. Although many vaccination sites were available throughout the weekend, reduced numbers were expected.

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

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 website and the Waikato DHB website.

TE AWAMUTU

Te Awamutu Event Centre carpark, Gorst Avenue, Te Awamutu

Tuesday 26 October 10am-4pm

ŌTOROHANGA

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

Tuesday 26 October 11am-3pm

SOUTH WAIKATO

Tokoroa Hospital carpark (by medical centres), Maraetai Road, Tokoroa

Tuesday 26 October 11am-2pm

Wednesday 27 and Thursday 28 October 10am-2pm

HAMILTON

Founders Theatre car park

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 provided by the Ministry of Health. This data is as at 11am 26 October 2021 and is the latest data available.

Please note, there may be larger than usual change shown in the vaccination rates compared with recent data. This is because from 21 October the DHB will use a new dataset which aligns with that used at a national level and includes all individuals identified by the Ministry of Health as domiciled within the DHB catchment. Previously the DHB used the local Health Service User dataset.

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

Vaccination data

To date (as at 10.37am 26 October), 544,392 COVID-19 vaccinations have been delivered in the Waikato.

• 302,536 first doses have been administered
• 241,856 second doses have been administered
• Over Labour weekend, 4,160 vaccinations were delivered across the Waikato.

Pop-up vaccination sites and vaccination clinics

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 from 20 October. 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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