New Covid-19 cases in the community hit 109 today; a return to triple digits, after a drop to 85 yesterday; but the Ministry of Health says there is hope on the horizon, with 90% of Aucklanders having received their first vaccine shot.
As at 10am, 47 of these cases are linked - including 30 household contacts - and 62 remain unlinked, with investigations continuing to help determine their connection to the outbreak.
There are four in Waikato (one in Kihikihi and one in Hamilton), two in Northland and 103 cases in Auckland, bringing the outbreak total to 2,681.
Two cases of Covid-19 in Ōtorohanga, Waikato, revealed last night, were confirmed after the Ministry’s daily reporting period and are included in today’s overall case tally.
A pop-up testing station is operating in Ōtorohanga at the Ōtorohanga Sports Club Carpark, at the Island Reserve on Orahiri Terrace and will be open until 3pm.
There is a drop of people in hospital, with 35 people in total. Seven are in North Shore, 13 in Middlemore, 14 in Auckland and one in Waikato hospitals. Five people are in ICU.
The ministry says that the average age of current hospitalisations is 42 years old.
Two cases were identified at the border as well, and those cases are in managed isolation.
The ministry says in Tāmaki 2,391,159 vaccine shots have been delivered, with first doses crossing the 90 percent mark at 1,292,425. Second doses have hit 77 percent at 1,098,734 doses.
Blenheim case update
The ministry says interviews with the Covid-19 positive case who is currently in isolation in Blenheim are ongoing.
A third contact has now returned a negative test. This follows the return of negative tests from two earlier contacts yesterday. All three contacts are now isolating and being managed by Nelson Marlborough Health.
The ministry confirms the case who recently travelled to Blenheim had spent the night at a residential address in Tokoroa before flying from Rotorua Airport. Public Health officials are now investigating whether there are any potential exposure events in the area, associated with this case.
People living in Tokoroa and Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough, in particular, are asked to monitor the Ministry of Health’s locations of interest page, which is regularly updated. People in these areas are also urged to get tested, no matter how mild symptoms may be.
Testing in the region is available today and tomorrow in Blenheim at Horton Park, off Redwood Street until 5.30pm, in Nelson at the Saxton Field parking area in Suffolk Road in Stoke today and tomorrow until 4pm.