The Ministry of Health say there are 80 new community cases of COVID-19 to report today. Auckland has 77 new community cases, Waikato has two, and Northland has one.

There are also five new border cases. More than 42,000 vaccines were administered on Saturday.

As at 10am, 34 of the new community cases are linked - including 16 household contacts - and 46 remain unlinked, with investigations continuing to help determine their connection to the outbreak.

From yesterday's cases, 42 have exposure events.

There are 50 people in hospital, with 12 in North Shore, one in Waitakere, 16 in Middlemore, 20 in Auckland and one in Waikato Hospital. Four of the cases are in ICU or HDU.

The average age of current hospitalisations is 44 years old.

New cases identified at the border

Historical cases identified at the border

Today's cases
One previously reported border case has been reclassified as ‘not a case' and has been removed from our total case number.

Blenheim update
Interviews are continuing today with the individual who is a positive COVID-19 case and who is currently in isolation in Blenheim. The individual is unvaccinated.

Two Blenheim-based household contacts have returned negative tests and are also in isolation.

Initial case interviews suggest the case is linked to the Te Awamutu cluster and has a small number of close contacts in Waikato.

These people have been contacted and are currently isolating with tests arranged.

People living in Nelson-Marlborough, in particular, are asked to monitor the Ministry of Health's locations of interest page, which is regularly updated.

We are also asking residents in Marlborough, Nelson and Tasman with symptoms – no matter how mild – to please get tested, even if they are vaccinated.

Today testing is available at:

- Blenheim CBAC: Horton Park, off Redwood St - Open 9am to 5.30pm
-· Nelson CBAC: Saxton Field parking area, Suffolk Rd, Stoke - Open 10am to 6pm

Yesterday, there were 144 tests processed in Marlborough.

Additional testing capacity in the area will be stood up, if needed, and details will be available on the Healthpoint website.

Northland update
Today the Ministry of Health is reporting one new case in Northland, who is linked to the four Northland cases announced yesterday.

This individual was tested as a close contact of the previous cases confirmed yesterday.

People living in Northland are asked to monitor the Ministry of Health's locations of interest page which will be regularly updated.

Anyone who visited these locations of interest at the specified times is asked to monitor their symptoms for 14 days and if any develop, get tested and stay at home until a negative test result is received and they have been symptom-free for 24 hours.

Yesterday there were 1,082 tests processed in the region. There were 1,134 vaccinations in Northland yesterday – of these vaccinations, 508 were first doses, and a further 626 were second doses.

Additional testing in the area has been arranged and is available here:

- Kaitaia – Kaitaia Hospital – open 9am to 4pm
- Hokianga - Rawene Hospital – open 9am to 2pm
- Mangamuka – 8 Mangamuka Road – open 11am to 2pm
- Kaikohe – Main Street, Kaikohe - opposite Mobil – open 9am to 2pm
- Kerikeri – 1 Sammaree Place – open 9am to 4pm
- Dargaville – Dargaville Hospital – open 10am to 3pm
- Whangārei – 20 Winger Crescent – open 9am-4pm

Update on Waikato case who travelled to Hawke's Bay
'As we reported yesterday, public health officials have concluded their investigations into a Waikato case who travelled to Hawke's Bay and returned a positive COVID-19 result following their arrival back in the Waikato, however we are asking people in Hawke's Bay to continue to check the Ministry of Health's Locations of Interest page for the next few days,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

'One location of interest, Kmart Napier, has been identified and anyone there between 3:53pm – 5:13pm on Friday 15 October is asked to monitor their symptoms for 14 days and if any develop, get tested and stay at home until a negative test result is received and they have been symptom-free for 24 hours.”

Waikato update
'We're reporting two additional cases of COVID-19 in Waikato today - one in Te Awamutu and one in Hamilton,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

There are seven cases in Waikato which remain unlinked, including the two newest cases. Investigations and interviews are continuing today to determine and establish any links.

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

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

Testing locations in and around Waikato are available on the Healthpoint website and the Waikato DHB website, with testing available throughout Labour Weekend.

Yesterday there were 4,195 tests processed in the region. There were 2,542 vaccinations in Waikato yesterday – of these vaccinations, 970 were first doses, and a further 1572 were second doses. The DHB is encouraging everyone to take the opportunity to be vaccinated as soon as possible to help reach 90%. Vaccination rates across the region are 84% first dose and 67% fully vaccinated.

Auckland update
'As the outbreak is now more dispersed we are concentrating our testing approach in areas with higher positivity rates where the risk of unidentified cases is higher,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

One suburb of interest with a high positivity rate of more than 6 per cent is Redvale, on the North Shore.

'We are asking people with symptoms, even if they are mild symptoms, and if they are vaccinated, in Redvale to get tested as soon as possible. The other suburb where we are encouraging this testing is the North Shore suburb of Rosedale where the positivity rate is 3.8 per cent.”

This testing will help to provide assurance that there is not undetected spread of COVID-19 in these communities. And that if there is any undetected transmission, this is identified as quickly as possible.

'Thanks to the strong response to the call for testing in New Lynn and Bayswater, these suburbs are no longer specific areas of concern however we still encourage people in these areas to be vigilant for symptoms and get tested no matter how mild.”

There is good testing capacity available this long weekend at community testing sites, GPs and urgent care clinics.

Testing is available at Community Testing Centres in:

- Eventfinda Stadium, 17 Silverfield, Wairau Valley – open 8.30am to 4.30pm 
- North Harbour Stadium, Oteha Valley Road in Carpark B – open 8.30am to 4.30pm  
- Northcote Community Testing Centre, Corner of College Road and Kilham Avenue – open 6.30am to 6.30pm  
- Whānau House, Waipareira Trust Henderson, Corner of Edsel and Catherine Street – open 8am to 2pm
- Massey Pop-up Community Testing Centre, Carpark of Community Hub, Triangle Park, 385 Don Buck Road – open 8.30am to 3.30pm  

Testing is also available at GP and Urgent Care clinics, the locations of these can be found on https://www.healthpoint.co.nz/covid-19/  

Testing and Vaccination reminder
Yesterday saw strong demand for vaccination and testing around the country – especially pleasing for the start of a long holiday weekend.

'We are continuing to urge anyone, and particularly those in areas with confirmed cases to get a test if you have any symptoms – even those who are full vaccinated or with very mild symptoms should get tested and isolate at home while waiting for test results,” says a Ministry of Health spokesperson.

'We want to reiterate our thanks to all those who staff the testing sites around the country, offering PCR tests to those who need them. Testing site staff are on the frontline of our COVID-19 response and doing the best they can to ensure people are tested in a timely and professional manner. If you do experience delays, please be patient and be kind to staff members.

'Vaccination numbers also remained high yesterday. It remains our number one protection against COVID-19. The Pfizer vaccine is safe, will help stop you getting seriously ill, and could save your life.”

Next update
Over the long weekend, the Ministry's COVID-19 updates are planned to be via the 1pm media releases. At this stage, the next press conference is expected to be on Tuesday, October 26.