There are 60 new community cases today, 56 in Auckland; 3 in Waikato and 1 in the Bay of Plenty.
The Ministry of Health announced the new case numbers in a press statement just after 1pm.
The three new Waikato cases are linked to the initial Hamilton East case.
The Bay of Plenty case was reported publicly yesterday evening and is included in today’s numbers.
Of the Auckland cases, 37 have known links to existing cases (including 22 household contacts) and 17 remain under investigation.
Out of the 60 cases, 19 are yet to be linked.
There are 29 cases in hospital, four of these are in North Shore Hospital, 12 in Middlemore, 11 in Auckland, one at Waikato Base Hospital and one in Palmerston North.
Seven of these are in ICU or HDU.
A total 5,789,774 vaccine doses have been administered since the rollout began, of these 3,438,289 are first doses and 2,351,485 are second doses.
Yesterday, 81,831 doses were given out. Of these, 18,301 were first doses and 65,530 were second doses.
North Shore Hospital update
Two patients who had previously tested positive for Covid-19 and were awaiting transfer to a quarantine facility were brought into the hospital’s emergency department for clinical assessment this morning to see whether they need hospital level care.
Separately a person receiving treatment at North Shore hospital dialysis unit yesterday tested positive for Covid-19.
Waitemata DHB says the person using dialysis was appropriately screened before coming to the unit and again on arrival at the unit. The person became unwell during treatment and was swabbed and subsequently tested positive.
The unit was temporarily closed yesterday afternoon so a deep clean could be completed.
Auckland Regional Public Health Services staff and the DHB are currently following up with other people who were receiving services in the unit at the same time as the person who has tested positive for Covid-19 to provide advice around isolation and testing.
Bay of Plenty update
A positive Covid-19 test result for a person currently living near Katikati was reported yesterday. The current public health assessment is that there is low risk of any further spread from this case.
Test results indicate that infection is in the early stages. In addition, vaccination status of the individual, regular test history, good use of the Covid app and rapid public health follow up with family members reduce the risk of community spread.
All family members have been tested and are currently isolating.
Katikati residents and visitors since Wednesday, October 6 are asked to keep checking the locations of interest page on the Ministry of Health website and follow the advice given.
Waikato update
Today’s three new cases reported in Waikato are linked to existing cases. Interviews are continuing to determine any further contacts or locations of interest.
There are pop up testing sites operating today at Claudelands and Raglan. The existing testing centre at Founders Theatre is also open. The DHB reports 3646 swabs were taken yesterday.
Further details on exact locations and hours of testing sites are available on the Healthpoint and Waikato DHB sites.
The Ministry of Health urges anyone in the Waikato with any symptoms that could be Covid-19 to get a test.
The strong response to the call for vaccinations in Waikato continued with 7017 vaccines administered yesterday.
Alert levels for the whole of the Waikato will be reviewed again tomorrow.
Update on Auckland case who travelled to Northland
The case reported October 7, who recently travelled to Northland, remains in an Auckland quarantine facility.
A second person who is thought to have travelled with this case has been contacted but not yet located.
The case was under investigation after returning a weak positive result from a test in Whangarei earlier this week and Friday returned a positive test result in Auckland.
Public health staff continue to work closely with the person to determine any locations of interest or exposure events associated with the case. Public Health staff are also working closely with Police to identify possible locations or areas of interest.
As these become available they will be added to the Ministry’s website as quickly as possible. We ask people to check these regularly, especially if you have visited, or live in Auckland, Waikato or Northland.
Anyone in Northland should remain vigilant for symptoms, particularly anyone who has visited a location of interest or been in an area of interest at the times specified should get tested and isolate until they receive the result.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health is asking that the Tuvalu, Samoa and Tokelau communities, particularly in Auckland, please use online virtual church services or to keep their church services within approved bubble sizes when celebrating White Sunday or Lotu Tamaiti today.
