More Than 120,000 First Doses For 5-11s; 90% Of Canterbury Māori Fully Vaccinated; 45 Community Cases; 5 In Hospital

Canterbury has become the third DHB to fully vaccinate more than 90% of eligible Māori.

More than four million first doses of a COVID-19 vaccine have now been administered to our 12+ population across Aotearoa – another very significant milestone.

There were 13,995 paediatric doses administered yesterday, bringing the total to 124,155. This is 26% of the 5 to 11 age group. A further 25,596 are booked in for a first dose.

The total number of paediatric first doses given to Māori children aged 5-11 (15,639) and Pacific children of the same age (8,381).

There were 50,946 boosters administered yesterday, bringing the total to 1,163,046. This is 63% of all those that have become due.

Omicron update

Public health teams are continuing to manage Omicron cases in the community through rapidly isolating cases and contacts, contact tracing, and testing to slow the spread.

To date, there are 90 community cases of COVID-19 that are either confirmed as Omicron variant or have been linked to previously reported Omicron case, an increase of 34.

There are active cases being treated as Omicron in Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Palmerston North, and Nelson Tasman.

Many of these additional cases have previously been reported as COVID-19 cases and linked retrospectively either through whole genome sequencing or epidemiologically.

Therefore, many are not included in today’s reported new COVID-19 community cases.

The number of cases and contacts are expected to grow given the highly transmissible nature of Omicron and as we learn more from case interviews.

As part of our collective preparations for Omicron, please check your details are up to date with your regular healthcare provider and in the COVID-19 Tracer app.

We also continue to urge anyone with symptoms, or anyone who has been to a location of interest at the times notified, to take health advice, isolate immediately and get tested promptly.

Being prepared also means remembering the basics - wash your hands, stay at home if you’re unwell, wear a mask when you can’t physically distance and get vaccinated, including a booster.

Soundsplash music festival

Yesterday afternoon five people in Auckland tested positive for COVID-19 after having attended Soundsplash music festival in Hamilton over the weekend.

This morning, a location of interest was published for the event.

Anyone who attended the festival is asked to self-monitor for symptoms for ten days following exposure at the event, which is until Wednesday, February 2.

If any cold or flu symptoms develop which could be COVID-19, please get a test and isolate at home until a negative result is returned.

So far, 68 people who attended the festival have been identified as close contacts, and this number is expected to increase. Contact tracing staff are contacting these individuals, who are required to follow all public health advice regarding isolation and testing.

Whole Genome Sequencing has confirmed that one of the cases who attended the festival has the Omicron variant. Whole genome sequencing is underway for the remaining four cases.

Interviews with the five cases will assist in determining whether they contracted COVID-19 before or while attending the festival.

Wellington case

Whole Genome Sequencing for the Wellington case we reported yesterday confirms this as the Delta variant. Investigations are continuing to establish any links to previous cases.

COVID-19 vaccine update

• Vaccines administered to date (percentage of eligible people): 4,035,915 first doses (96%); 3,953,820 second doses (94%); 1,163,046 booster doses *
• Vaccines administered yesterday: 1,442 first doses; 2,317 second doses; 13,995 paediatric doses; 50,946 booster doses.
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 510,804 first doses (89%); 482,856 second doses (85%).
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 12+): 276,351 first doses (96%); 267,949 second doses (93%).
• Paediatric vaccines administered to date (percentage of 5-11-year-olds): 124,155 first doses (26%)
• Māori (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 15,639 first doses (14%)
• Pacific Peoples (percentage of eligible people aged 5-11): 8,381 first doses (17%)

From today we have made a change to how we report vaccination numbers administered to date in this statement.

Rather than reporting doses administered, we now report people vaccinated. For example, under the previous reporting, today’s first dose number would’ve been 4,000,409. Today the number is 4,035,915.

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

• Northland DHB: First doses (90%); second doses (86%)
• Auckland Metro DHBs: First doses (97%); second doses (95%)
• Waikato DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (92%)
• Bay of Plenty DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (92%)
• Lakes DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%)
• MidCentral DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
• Tairawhiti DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89%)
• Whanganui DHB: First doses (92%); second doses (89%)
• Hawke’s Bay: First doses (96%); second doses (93%)
• MidCentral DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
• Taranaki DHB: First doses (94%); 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 (96%); second doses (95%)
• Nelson Marlborough DHB: First doses (96%); second doses (94%)
• West Coast DHB: First doses (93%); second doses (90%)
• Canterbury DHB: First doses (99%); second doses (97%)
• South Canterbury DHB: First doses (95%); second doses (93%)
• Southern DHB: First doses (97%); second doses (96%)

Hospitalisations

• Cases in hospital: 5; North Shore: 2; Auckland: 1; Middlemore: 1, Rotorua: 1,
• Average age of current hospitalisations: 68
• Cases in ICU or HDU: 1 (Rotorua)

Cases

• Seven day rolling average of community cases: 29
• Seven day rolling average of border cases: 42
• Number of new community cases: 45
• Number of new cases identified at the border: 51
• *Location of new community cases: Auckland (22), Waikato (2), Bay of Plenty (3), Lakes (7), Taranaki (1), Hawke’s Bay (8), Nelson Marlborough (2)
• Number of community cases (total): 11,601 (in current community outbreaks)
• Cases epidemiologically linked (total): 8,858
• Number of active cases (total): 507 (cases identified in the past 21 days and not yet classified as recovered)
• Confirmed cases (total): 15,466

Contacts

• Number of active contacts being managed (total): 5,962
• Percentage who has received an outbound call from contact tracers (to confirm testing and isolation requirements): 77%
• Percentage who has returned at least one result: 77%

Tests

• Number of tests total (last 24 hours): 22,894
• Tests rolling average (last 7 days): 16,359
• Auckland tests total (last 24 hours): 11,761

Wastewater

• ESR has detected a positive sample in Porirua on 25 January. If you’re feeling unwell, please arrange a test. Details of testing locations in the region can be foundon Healthpoint

NZ COVID Tracer

• Poster scans in the 24 hours to midday yesterday: 2,553,133
• Manual diary entries in the 24 hours to midday: 50,140

My Vaccine Pass

• My vaccine pass downloads total: 4,942,616
• My vaccine pass downloads (last 24 hours): 16,912

New cases identified at the border

Today’s cases

We are reporting new community cases in Auckland, Waikato, Taranaki, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay and Nelson Marlborough.

We are also announcing one case in Tairawhiti and four cases in Canterbury which were notified after the Ministry’s reporting deadline.

Regional updates

We are continuing to ask anyone in New Zealand with symptoms – no matter how mild – to get tested, even if you’re vaccinated. Please stay at home until you return a negative test result. We are also asking people to regularly check the locations of interest as these are regularly updated and to follow the advice provided.

Testing and vaccination centre locations nationwide can be found on the Healthpoint website.

Please also continue to check for any updated Locations of Interest and appropriate health advice, updated regularly on the Ministry’s website.

Auckland

There are 22 cases to report in Auckland today.

To date, Whole Genome Sequencing has identified that at least one of these cases is linked to known or suspected Omicron cases, and the others remain under investigation.

Health and welfare providers are now supporting 619 people in the region to isolate at home, including 176 cases.

Waikato

There are two new cases in the Waikato today, with one linked to previous cases and one under investigation. Both are from Hamilton.

Public Health staff, primary care and manaaki providers in Waikato are supporting 18 cases to isolate at home.

Lakes DHB

We are reporting seven new cases in Rotorua today.

Six are household contacts of previously reported cases, and one remains under investigation.

Bay of Plenty

We are reporting three new COVID-19 cases in the Bay of Plenty today.

One of these cases is part of a Tauranga household with two other cases, reported earlier this week. Whole genome sequencing has now linked these two earlier cases to the January Omicron cluster, and the new case is being treated as Omicron.

The remaining two cases from today are in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and are being investigated for links to previously reported cases.

In addition, we are announcing three more cases which have tested positive for COVID-19. They’re linked to an exposure event at the early childhood centre BestStart Pyes Pa on 19 January. All three are being treated as Omicron.

These three cases will be included officially in tomorrow’s numbers.

Toi Te Ora Public Health is expecting further exposure events arising from these cases and locations of interest will be published on the Ministry of Health website when they are identified.

Details of testing centres in Tauranga

Tairāwhiti

Today we are announcing a case in Gisborne. The result was received after the reporting cut-off time and it will be officially included in tomorrow’s case numbers.

Investigations are currently underway to determine a link to other known cases in the current outbreak. However, at this stage it is likely that this person became infected during travel outside of the region. The case is currently in isolation and any locations of interest will be published on the Ministry of Health's website.

Taranaki

Today we are reporting one new case in Taranaki. This was the case we reported initially yesterday.

In addition, we are reporting a second case of COVID-19 in the region linked to the January Omicron cluster.

The person is a household contact of the case we reported yesterday and they are in isolation. This case was notified after the Ministry’s reporting deadline and will be included in the case count tomorrow.

Investigations are underway to identify any exposure events or locations of interest associated with this case and will be published on the Ministry of Health website as they are identified.

Hawke’s Bay

Today we are reporting eight new cases of COVID-19 in Hawke’s Bay, all expected and linked to the known Hastings Delta cluster.

The cases had all been isolating and therefore there are no new, associated locations of interest to add.

Nelson Marlborough

We are announcing two new cases in the region today.

These cases were first announced yesterday and are included in today’s reported numbers.

In addition, we’re reporting two cases which will be officially added to tomorrow’s case numbers. These two cases are part of one of the households which has been epidemiologically linked to the January Omicron cluster.

Whole genome sequencing is underway but both are being treated as Omicron at this stage

Details of testing centres in Nelson

Canterbury

Four community cases have been notified in Canterbury today – all in Christchurch. Two are in the same household.

All four cases remain under investigation to establish any links to previous cases.

These cases were reported after the cut-off time and it will be officially included in tomorrow’s case numbers

People should continue to get tested if they have any symptoms of COVID-19, and regularly check the Ministry of Health website for Locations of Interest in Canterbury.

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